The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America (NSCDA) is pleased to congratulate Lily Ivanov, a student at Pope John Paul II Preparatory School for winning the national Congressional Seminar Essay Contest and being selected for an all-expense paid trip to study at the Washington Workshops Seminar in Washington, D.C.
“I am so excited to get this once in a lifetime opportunity to explore the legislative process,” Ivanov said upon news of her selection. “I am very grateful for my history teacher, Mr. Childers, for sparking my interest in the US government and encouraging me to participate in this program.”
For the past 45 years the NSCDA has underwritten a national essay contest with the mission of encouraging students from across the United States to gain a greater understanding of our shared American origins and the importance of civic duty. This year, students were asked to “Examine the US Constitution as a whole and explain why you think it does or does not fully protect the Right to Vote.”
The NSCDA received hundreds of submissions and the winning essays were picked by a committee of NSCDA representatives from among 44 Corporate Societies. Ivanov was one of only three students from Tennessee selected for this program.
Dr. Stephanie Dupaul, Patriotic Service Chair for the NSCDA-Tennessee noted that, “Ms. Ivanov’s essay demonstrated her understanding of how voting rights have evolved over time as the nation focused on giving voice to all citizens, but also addressed the fact that political participation, which is critical for a healthy democracy, is not only about having the right to vote but the importance of exercising that right.”
