NEW YORK, NY – Greek News USA
Theodore Marshall, of St. Demetrios G.O.C. in Baltimore, MD [Senior Division] and Evie Soriano, of Annunciation G.O.C in Winston-Salem, NC, [Junior Division] were the winners of the 2024 Kathie D’Anna Essay Contest that was organized by the Saint Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine among Greek Orthodox youth aged 13-19.
This year’s theme asked teens to reflect on how the St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine stands as a beacon of strength and hope to the Greek Orthodox people and how, such a witness to Orthodoxy, serves as an anchor and a beacon to our youth.
In the senior division, submissions were received from Stella Grace Hodges of Winston Salem, NC, Paulina Kakalos of Merrick, NY; Emmanuel Pittas of Midland Park, NJ; Nikki Blathras of Charlotte, NC; and Theodore Marshall of Ellicott City, MD.
According to an announcement by St. Photios Foundation, the judges chose the essay of Theodore Marshall, “as the writer who spoke to the topic and met the criteria most fully”.
In the junior division, submissions were received from Matthew Gervescu of Charlotte, NC; William Hartgraves of Cleveland, TN; Evie Soriano of Winston-Salem, NC; and Irene Maria Zografos of Garden City, NY.
The judges unanimously gave the highest points to essayist Evie Soriano.
St. Photios Foundation announced that this is the final year of the competition which was launched in November 2005 and was fully underwritten for the past fifteen years by the D’ Anna family in memory of their beloved matriarch, Kathie D’Anna.
Theodora Sergiou, St. Photios Trustee and chair of the Essay Committee, extended her thanks to the judges Tom Lekas, Elena Constantine and judge/consultant Dianna Christakos who noted, “the winning essays in this competition were well-written and focused on relationships between God and us; and how our faith and the Shrine impacts our daily lives”.
The certificates of participation signed by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America will be sent to each student.
Each winner will also receive a check for $1,000.