McKeown Scholar Essay Topics
2015
Woburn
If you were to create a graphic novel (comic book) with a new superhero who would combat society's greatest problem today, what problem would he/she attack and how? What powers would this superhero possess?
Winchester
If you could have invented any device, tool, or innovation of the modern age, what would it be and why? What modifications, if any, would you make to it, and why?
2014
Woburn
Write a letter to your parents explaining why you need more/less independence, and why you are the way you are.
Winchester
If you founded your own college or university, which (if any) topics of study would you declare mandatory for all students and why? What would be the values and priorities of your institution and why?
2013
Woburn
We are becoming overwhelmingly dependent on computers. Is this dependence on computers a good thing or should we be more suspicious of their benefits?
Winchester
If you were to develop a new Mount Rushmore with sculptures of the faces of four individuals prominent in the last 50 years, which four individuals would you select and why?
2012
Woburn
In a speech several years ago, United States Attorney General Eric Holder observed that while the workplace is largely integrated, Americans still self-segregate on the weekends and in their private lives. Holder stated, ‘Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards.’ Do you agree or disagree with the attorney general and why?
Winchester
Do you believe there is a generation gap? Describe the differences between your generation and others.
2011
Woburn
Some Colleges have adopted so-called 'speech codes,' under which students, faculty and staff are subject to punishment for their offensive remarks. Penalties for offensive speech may range from compulsory attendance at sensitivity classes to suspension or expulsion for students, and suspension or termination of employment for faculty or staff. What is your view of speech codes? Would the presence or absence of a strong speech code at a college influence your decision to attend that school?
Winchester
George Zambros of Rockefeller Foundation has offered you $1 million to give to a charity about which you are passionate, but only if you can persuade him that the cause is a worthy one. Write him a convincing letter about your cause of choice.
2010
A national lifestyle magazine has named your community one of the top 25 places in the United States in which to live, and invited local officials to submit the article for publication that celebrates your community. The mayor/town manager has asked you, a municipal department intern, to craft the 500 to 1,000 word essay for the magazine that explains the reasons you believe your community merits this recognition.
2009
Please elaborate on your hopes and concerns for the new Obama administration and for the future of our nation, especially in light of the enormous challenges to today's American economy. If you were a senior advisor to President Obama, what advice would you give him?
2008
In your opinion, what is the greatest challenge facing your generation right now, or in the future? How will this challenge affect you personally, and what ideas do you have for dealing with this issue?
2007
Why would you like or dislike the idea of someday owning and operating your own business? What are your current thoughts about what that business might be and how it might serve/benefit the community?
2006
Evaluate a risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced, and its impact on you. What led to this occurrence in your life, how did you address it, and how did it affect you as a developing person?
2005
Identify what you believe to be the single most significant issue or problem facing your community at present, and prepare a persuasive argument to convince your city/town administrators to act upon your proposed solution to this issue/problem.
2004
This being a presidential election year, you are invited to speak before your high school graduating class about the importance of your newly earned right to vote. Specifically, explain the significance of this right to you as a young adult, and to the American way of life. How would you advise your classmates to responsibly exercise this right? What inherent responsibilities do you feel come with it?
2003
The year is 2053, and you are speaking to an assembly of students at this high school. You have been asked to comment about the upcoming 50th anniversary of the international crisis of 2003. What would you say to the students about the global situation, reflecting on your own reaction to world issues when you were their age in 2003?
2002
Describe any thing(s) in your life that has/have changed since the national tragedies of September 11, 2001. How do you believe your life may or may not be permanently altered by these events?
2001
You are assigned to mentor a junior high or middle school student, in preparation for his or her entrance into high school. Identify and explain three of the most important lessons you can impart to the student, based upon your own high school experience as it prepared you for adulthood.
2000
Identify what you believe to be the single most significant issue or problem facing your community at present, and prepare a persuasive argument to convince your city/town administrators to act upon your proposed solution to the issue/problem.
1999
Your community has been nominated as one of 20 finalists across the nation in TIME Magazine's 1999 Top 10 Municipalities of America competition. Your 500-word essay, to be read by the selection committee, will determine whether your city/town is or is not selected as a winner. Please prepare this essay, offering in a highly persuasive manner all reasons why the community where you reside should receive this prestigious recognition. Write and edit your document, as necessary, using all time allotted.
McKeown Scholars Award Winners
$5,000 each through 2009; $10,000 each beginning 2010
Listed alphabetically, by city
Beverly
- Nicole Acciavatti - 2007
- Karen Ballantyne - 1997
- Josie Black - 1999
- Ashtar Boulos - 2005
- David Briand - 2005
- Erin Bushey - 2009
- Laura Cancellieri - 2003
- Elizabeth Coburn - 2006
- Griffin Coombs - 2006
- Stephen J. Cottle - 2001
- Daniel Creamer - 2009 - St. Johns Prep
- Samuel D'Amico - 2008 - St. Johns Prep
- Jessica Davidson - 2003
- Mark DeLuca - 2004
- Elisabeth Dwyer - 2008
- Liana Eramo - 2009
- Julie Flowers - 1997
- Rebecca Folsom - 2003
- Elizabeth Goodenough - 2004
- Christian Hurst - 2007
- William Karvouniaris - 2005
- Emily Kenney - 2002
- Meaghan Lyons - 2007
- Laura Macomber - 2005
- Thomas Mahoney - 2008
- Sara M. Mailander - 2001
- Ryan Malloy - 2000
- Daniel Malone - 1997
- Katharine L. McFadden - 2001
- Daniel Meyer - 2006
- Sara Milaschewski - 2002
- Darcy Milburn - 2007
- Jacquelyn Miller - 2003
- Tara Murphy - 2002
- Leanne Nagle - 1998
- Lindsey O'Connell - 1997
- Sarah O'Hare - 2004
- Jenna Panunzio - 2009
- Paula Raimo - 2004
- Lauren Richardson - 2008
- Jennifer Remare - 1998
- Julia Reynolds - 2000
- Danielle Schneider - 2002
- Rachel Schneider - 1999
- William Soares - 1998
- Kyle Staller - 2000
- Janelle Stokes - 2006
- Laura Sullivan - 1998
- Caitlin Sweeney - 1998
- Hillary Tirrell - 1999
- James Wilson - 1999
- Maria E. Witwicki - 2001
Marlborough
- Amira Bakr - 2002
- Meghan Baldelli - 2006
- Jason Baur - 2004
- Evan Beamer - 2002
- Jamie Bennett - 1997
- Megan Bennett - 2006
- Sarah Blake - 2003
- Susan Buckwalter - 2000
- Heather Cobb - 2001
- Meghan Condry - 2006
- James Doolin - 2006
- Naima Farrell - 2003
- Bernadette Foley - 2000
- Heather Foley - 2003
- Supriya Gundewar - 2005
- Elizabeth Hanson - 2005
- Peter Ireland - 2004
- Reena Kadkade - 1997
- Michael Kennard - 1999
- Michelle Lamy - 2005
- Lisa Mahoney - 2001
- Andrew Marino - 1999
- Meghan Phadke - 2004
- Lauren Rigney - 1998
- Lindsey Shapiro - 2002
- Christopher Scott - 1998
- Kathryn Scott - 2000
- Colleen Sullivan - 1999
- Carolyn Trapp - 2001
- Jennifer Wahl - 1998
Stoneham
- Marc Azer - 1999
- Stella Barth - 2006
- Deborah Berkman - 2000
- Ann Marie Borchelt - 2001
- Paul Born - 2009
- Edward Breen - 1999
- Caroline Carrns - 2009 - St. Mary's
- Peter Cucchiara - 2002
- Maura Costello - 1997
- Natalie Cusato - 1998
- Jeanine D'Angelo - 1998
- Theresa DiDonato - 1997
- Emily DiPietro - 2007
- Marlena Fecho - 2003
- Jacqueline Feke - 1999
- Danielle Festino - 2000
- Xavier Garcia - 2001
- Lin Gan - 2000
- Max Grover - 2007
- Corinna Jay - 2003
- Meaghan Kelley - 2008
- Alison Kelly - 2008
- Allison Landers - 2005
- Kelly Landers - 2007
- Keith MacLeod - 2003
- Lindsey Mahoney - 2009
- Shiva Marvasti - 2004
- Anne L. McDonnell - 2002
- Eric McDowell - 2006
- Robyn Migliorini - 2005
- Jessica Morgan - 2006
- Lindsay Morrissey - 2008
- Julie O'Donnell - 2002
- Daniel Pecci - 2004
- Erika Paone - 1998
- Lauren Stamatis - 2005
- Shuanna Stanton - 2001
- Caitlin Sullivan - 2004
Wilmington
- Joseph Bamberg - 1997
- Nina Burke - 2008
- Lani Cabral-Pini - 2005
- Christopher Cassidy - 1999
- Shannon Cunningham - 2000
- Melissa Estremera - 2004
- Nicholas Farnsworth - 2008
- Amanda Gustin - 2001
- Sarah Jackson - 2005
- Athena Karalekas - 2003
- Stephanie Knoettner - 2007
- Michele Lemos - 2001
- Melissa Mahoney - 2009
- Kevin Martin - 2007
- Lauren McDonagh - 2006
- Lauren Nikodemos - 2004
- Lauren Olsen - 2002
- Nira Pandya - 2009
- Stephanie Parker - 2006
- Kirsten Pizotti - 2002
- Scott Swiezynski - 1998
- David Velardo - 2003
Winchester
- Laura Anglin - 2003
- Shiri Avnery - 2000
- Kayla Bell - 2015
- Amanda Blaine - 1999
- Joshua Blaine - 2002
- Irena Brates - 2013
- Jacqueline Chamberlain - 2000
- Terry Chen - 2010
- Matthew Christian - 2002
- David Conway - 2005
- John Conway - 2000
- Alissa Cooper - 2006
- Alison Criscitiello - 1999
- Nicholas Danella - 1997
- Christine Donnelly - 2007
- Joshua Feblowitz - 2005
- Michael Feblowitz - 2009
- Neil Foley - 2006
- Chelsea Fujimoto - 2011
- Michael Gilbert - 1998
- Chad Hochberg - 2002
- Jenna Kelly - 2006
- Clara Kim - 1998
- Jane Kim - 2001
- Yuri Kolchinski - 2009
- Paul Kuttner - 1998
- Emily Leathers - 2003
- Eva Lieberherr - 1999
- Kaitlyn Lucey - 2004
- Sarah MacArthur - 2003
- Samuel McElhinney - 2007
- Emily M. Nolan - 2001
- Jenny Oberholtzer - 2007
- Erika Olson - 2008
- Christina Pappas - 2008
- Caroline Pierce - 2012
- Anna Reishus - 2014
- Rhiannon Roberts - 1997
- Barbara L. Seymour - 2001
- Margaret Sobkowicz - 1997
- Diane Soboski - 1997
- Mark Tempesta - 2004
- Emily Unger - 2009
- Xiaowei Wang - 2004
- Jenna Weiner - 2005
- Caroline Wooten - 2008
Woburn
- Michael Ardito - 2004
- Jessica Ash - 2005
- Katelyn Breen - 2006
- Erin Briere - 1997
- Lauren Brown - 2001
- Katharyn T. Burns - 2001
- Paula Cabral - 2007
- Bethany Callahan - 2000
- Hillary Callahan - 1998
- Jessica Crawford - 2006
- Andrew DiChiara - 2008
- Julie Devaney - 2003
- Dana Dexter - 1999
- Kristin Donovan - 1997
- Mark Doolin - 2004
- Lauren Doucette - 1998
- Paul Dwyer - 2004
- Jason Fenton - 1999
- David Fletcher - 2000
- Lauren Foley - 2005
- Tara E. Foley - 2001
- Audrey Kate Gill - 2003
- Gabriella Gobiel - 2010
- Johanna Griecci - 2002
- Robyn Heater - 1998
- Vanessa Higgins - 2004
- Courtney Iverson - 1999
- Jane Kim - 2002
- Juliana Lague - 2006
- Laree LaPierre - 2009
- Katie Lennon - 2000
- Timothy Loiselle - 2003
- Maria Luz Corpuz - 1997
- Nilofer Khalifa - 2002
- Francesca Malvarosa - 2012
- Divya Manoharan - 2002
- Delaney McDaniel - 2015
- Bryan McMahon - 1998
- Joslyn McSheffrey - 2003
- Katharine Miliano - 2007
- Nicholas Minichiello - 2014
- Leah Mulrenan - 2007
- Lauren Nelson - 2005
- Jacquelyn Nocella - 2009
- Brendan O'Brien - 2008
- Colleen O'Brien - 2007
- Sarah O'Brien - 2011
- Michael Paladino - 2013
- Ashley Power - 2009
- Jessica Prince - 2000
- Jonathan Roketenetz - 2008
- Riley Rousakis - 2009
- Mary Samuelson - 1999
- Dennis Scott - 2005
- Susan Severance - 1997
- Brian R. Skeffington - 2001
- Melissa Skeffington - 1999
- Brian Teague - 2008
- Casey Wilson - 2006