KINGSTON, R.I. – May 12, 2014 – A Warwick eighth grader, Grace Reed, won first place in the University of Rhode Island Gandhi Essay Contest with her essay titled, “Gandhi Didn’t Just Talk.”
The Winman Junior High School student focused on how she and others could demonstrate Mohandas Gandhi’s practice of nonviolence in everyday life. Reed wrote: “For every child sitting alone at the lunch table, Gandhi’s words could make a difference. If we all spread compassion and peace with our thoughts, actions and words, maybe the boy who always stands apart from the crowd will finally feel like he belongs. These peaceful actions can have a ripple effect and inspire others to do the same.”
The URI Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies sponsors the essay contest each year with URI’s School of Education. The contest received 161 entries from eighth graders at 17 public and private schools.
Second place winners were Sophie Barreto and Laura Murphy of Archie R. Cole Middle School in East Greenwich.
Third place winners were Mizuki Samuelson, a Providence resident who attends the French-American School of Rhode Island; Una Treanor of Kingston who attends Curtis Corner Middle School, and Theodora DelGiudice, a Newport resident who attends St. Michael’s Country Day School.
The Gandhi Service Award went to Melane Goncalves, a Providence resident who attends Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts.
The students, their parents and teachers were honored during an award ceremony April 30, 2014 in URI’s Multicultural Center.
The judging committee consisted of Paul Bueno de Mesquita, center director and psychology professor; Robert L. Carothers, URI president emeritus; Ruby Roy Dholakia, marketing and supply chain management professor and contest founder; Nikhilesh Dholakia, marketing and supply chain management professor; Kathryn Johnson, education faculty; Diane Kern, associate professor of education; Tia Lahiri, mother of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri, Hon. ’01; Clay Sink, management professor emeritus; and Indu Suryanarayan ’85. Secondary education students assisted in the screening and initial judging.
URI Gandhi Essay Contest Finalists 2014:
Name, School, Town
Sophie Barreto, Archie R. Cole Middle School, East Greenwich
Mariela Calabro, Western Hills Middle School, Cranston
Louise Chanfrau, French-American School of R.I., Providence
Gwendolyn Dane, French-American School of R.I., Providence
Theodora DelGiudice, St. Michael’s Country Day School, Newport
Kenny Demola, San Miguel Middle School, Providence
Rossini Felix, Park View Middle School, Cranston
Aislinn Hanley, Western Hills Middle School, Cranston
Kathryn Healy, Archie R. Cole Middle School, East Greenwich
Tyler Lopez, Western Hills Middle School, Cranston
Julia Ludwig, St. Michaels Country Day School, Newport
Laura Murphy, Archie R. Cole Middle School, East Greenwich
Grace Reed, Winman Junior High School, Warwick
Lily Rosa, Curtis Corner Middle School, Wakefield
Mizuki Samuelson, French-American School of R.I., Providence
Grace Siwicki, St. Michaels Country Day School, Newport
Rita Stubbs, Alan Shawn Feinstein Middle School, Coventry
Brett Traficante, Western Hills Middle School, Cranston
Una Treanor, Curtis Corner Middle School, Wakefield
Hossam Zaki, Curtis Corner Middle School, Wakefield