IACI Announces Inaugural Essay Contest Winners

The John Walsh Jersey Shore Chapter of the Irish American Cultural Institute (IACI) sponsored a 2019 Essay Contest for high school students on the topic “What being an Irish American means to me in the 21st century” in order to build on their mission to provide resources to promote Irish and Irish-American cultures. The goal of the contest was to provide a forum for younger generation Irish Americans to dynamically engage with their cultural heritage. On Monday, June 10th at the chapter’s monthly meeting held at the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh, 815 16th Avenue, Belmar, the winners were presented with framed certificates and cash prizes.

First Place winner Ciara Rushe of Wall is a senior at Wall High School. She will be attending Boston College in the fall semester majoring in Elementary Education with plans to become a grammar school teacher. In her essay, Ms. Rushe wrote, “Growing up as a first generation American and becoming the first of my family to receive a college education, I have grown stronger, not only as a student and a daughter, but also as an individual.” Ms. Rushe enjoys softball, traveling, and volunteering. She is the daughter of Aidan and Moya Rushe. Her mother is a member of Women of Irish Heritage at the Jersey Shore.

Two Honorable Mention prizes were awarded to Elizabeth Boyle and Dolcinea Carroll. Elizabeth Boyle, a resident of Wall, is in the 10th Grade at Wall High School. She is the daughter of Patricia and Edward Boyle. Her father is a member of the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh in Belmar. Dolcinea Carroll, a resident of Lake Como, is a senior at Biotechnology High School. She will be attending Stevens Institute of Technology in the fall with plans to major in mechanical engineering. Ms. Carroll is the daughter of Mike and Rochelle Carroll and the grand-daughter of Peggy Carroll, a member of Women of Irish Heritage at the Jersey Shore.

The eligibility requirements for the contest were that an applicant be a high school student aged 13 to 17 years old, a resident of Monmouth or Ocean Counties, and a child or grand-child of a member of one of the local area Irish heritage organizations, including the Irish American Cultural Institute, Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh, Women of Irish Heritage of the Jersey Shore, Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, and the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Contest entries were vetted by contest director Maureen Dunphy Brady to ensure eligibility requirements were fulfilled.

Essay submissions were assessed by an IACI panel of judges, including Barbara Griffin, Henry McNally and Peggie O’Brien, who independently scored each essay based on a common rating standard based on the following criteria: adherence to topic, writing style, originality, and cohesiveness. “I was impressed with the caliber of the writing and the evident effort each applicant put into their entries,” said Mr. McNally. Essays were judged without the entrants’ names to ensure impartiality in the review process.

Dr. Peter Halas, Chairman of the IACI, said, “I join with all of our members at the IACI in extending our sincere congratulations to Ciara, Elizabeth and Dolcinea. These talented teenagers wrote well-crafted responses to the assigned topic. We appreciate the fact that they took time away from their school-work and other commitments to compose their essays. They’ve demonstrated intellect and diligence in their thoughtful essays, giving us a positive sense of the future leaders they will become. We wish them the very best of success in their continued studies.”

The IACI hosts talks on various aspects of Irish history and culture on the second Monday of every month at 7:00 p.m. at the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh in Belmar. Admission is free for IACI and FSOS-Belmar members and $10 for guests. All are welcome to attend. For more information on IACI activities, visit the website at www.iacijerseyshore.com or “follow” them on Facebook at facebook.com/IACIJerseyShore.

The IACI is a federally recognized not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to promote an intelligent appreciation of Ireland and the role and contributions of the Irish in American culture. It is the only Irish-American organization that has as its patron the President of Ireland.