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The scholarship awards will be presented at a ceremony at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday at the Avon before the screening of the new documentary, "Rubble Kings."
This year, the prizes totaled $7,500. The winners’ scholarship checks are made out to the university or college each student plans to attend.
The contest was open to high school seniors in both public and private schools throughout Fairfield and Westchester counties. Students were asked to submit a 500- to 700-word essay on “Why Film Matters” based on a film they had seen that opened in 2014 or 2015. The film could be a feature, documentary, short, American or foreign.
They also were asked to write about how film, in general, impacts our society. This year the competition was fierce with 74 essays submitted. There were two ties among the top nine winners. Each essay was read by two independent judges, all of whom are professional writers, script writers or media publishing executives.
The winners are:
- First Place ($2,000): Natalie Skigen, Westhill High (Washington University in St. Louis).
- Second Place ($1,500): Terrie Yang, Staples High (University of California at Berkeley).
- Third Place ($1,000): Casey Benzaken, Westhill High (Northwestern University).
- Honorable Mention ($500 each): Jessica Schwartz, Westhill High (University of Wisconsin), Samantha Halm, Westhill High (University of Massachusetts-Amherst), Amamihechukwu Nnodum, Kolbe Cathedral High (Georgia Tech), Marina Pipher, Greenwich High (SUNY Purchase), Ashley Rich, Westhill High (University of Connecticut), Natalie Wallington, Greenwich High (Johns Hopkins University).
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