My Finalist Essay in The Nation's Student Writing Contest

A few weeks ago I wrote that I had been named one of the top 5 finalists in the Nation's student writing contest (first annual).

Well they published my essay as well as the essays of the other students who were named finalists (the winner will be published in the magazine).

I'm very honored to have been named a finalist (the other finalists were from Yale and NYU students, of all places, and I'm just a recent high school graduate about to be a freshman at UGA, so...), and I'm proud of all the 700+ people who took the time to send in entries and stand up for their beliefs.

You can read my essay here:


http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060717/jilani

Hope you guys enjoy it!

No matter what the outcome is, you should be proud of yourself! :applause:

work. You can definitely be proud of your essay--and I hope it does provide inspiration for your generation--as well as mine.

That is an excellent essay! I hope you win! Great job!:thumbsup:

Nominated and good luck.

Thank you for posting this.

(on edit, "winning essays is good", is "too", your essay is very fine)
Thanks for this, keep up the good writin',

the force is with you.
O8)

I've just read your essay, and it is an incredible piece. I hope you realize how talented you are.

I cannot find the words to express how much I admire people like yourself, who are able to move others to new thoughts, new ideas, and hopefully to positive action through the simple act of written words on a page.

You give me pause, when I read about the sense of responsibility that will inevitably fall to your generation in cleaning up the disasters you will inherit. But you also give me hope in that you recognize those seemingly insurmountable problems, and are prepared to face them, head-on, with an attitude of purpose and the common sense that seems to be so lacking in today's world.

Someday you will, I trust, be one of the great American writers who changes the world with a few swipes of the pen. And I will brag about the fact that I recognized that talent when it was just beginning to blossom.

Well done, Terran1212!!!! Very well done indeed!

... THANK YOU!!!

:) Congratulations!

be a rallying cry now.

At the very least, from me. I am a generation ahead of you, but am humbly asking to considered among your generation of peace.

Best of luck.

I wouldn't have had the insight at your young age.

I'm glad I had a chance to read your essay.

Good Luck to you and your generation wherever they may be...

That says it all. Very well done. Congratulations.

:thumbsup:

or un-American or something . . .

seriously, great job on the essay . . . everyone should read it and take your message to heart . . . thanks . . . :)

What a wonderful essay you wrote.

Every generation gets the "opportunity" to change the world. I was 8 years old when President John Kennedy was assassinated. It was the first time that I ever saw every adult in my world crying. Though I didn't understand totally what was going on, my soul did. From then on, nothing was ever the same. I guess it made me who I am today.

You make me so proud of the younger generation. We tried during the 60's and 70's and made great strides. Hopefully, your generation will take us to the place where we "Won't have to study war no more".

I pray.

But even at my age I think I've discovered that hope rarely comes from outside, you have to make it yourself.

Three cheers!!!