Congratulations to the students who participated in the 2024 Kathie D’Anna Essay Contest where they were challenged 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.
Submissions were received in the senior division 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, ND. The judges chose the essay of Theodore Marshall, of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Baltimore, MD, as the writer who spoke to the topic and met the criteria most fully.
Submissions were received in the junior division 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 of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Winston-Salem, NC.
This is the final year of the competition which was launched in November, 2005. The trustees of the St. Photios Foundation are ever grateful to the D’Anna family for underwriting all its expenses over the past fifteen years in memory of their beloved matriarch, Kathie D’Anna.
Theodora Sergiou, St. Photios Trustee and chair of the Essay Committee, extends 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 will be signed by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and sent to each student. Each winner will also receive a check for $1,000.
Please wait...