This year, Pax Christi USA launched our first-ever essay invitational for young peacemakers, “Blessed are the Peacemakers”; the contest generated almost 50 powerful submissions from high school and college students across the United States, including Puerto Rico. Thanks to a generous lead gift from Pax Christi Michigan’s Fr. Fred Thelen, six students — three from high school and three from college — were selected to receive awards ranging from $200 to $1,000.
This invitational reflects the vital importance of elevating the voices of young adults in the peace and justice movement. Their courage, clarity, and moral imagination are reshaping what faithful action looks like today. We are deeply grateful for their heartfelt submissions, each one a testament to the leadership and hope they bring to our shared work for justice and nonviolence.
Students were invited to write on one of the following themes: peace, nonviolence, justice, anti‑racism, immigrant rights, nuclear disarmament, or conscientious objection. Each essay was required to be grounded in personal experience or community connection, to highlight at least one person who has risked livelihood, freedom, or safety for the chosen cause, and to reflect on what that person’s example demands of the author.
Thank you to our grading committee, staff, and especially to every student who took their time to submit their entries. Thanks too to those teachers who encouraged their students to enter the contest. We are immensely grateful and hopeful for a possible next round.
Winners at the university level
FIRST PLACE
Maria Maldonado is a pre-nursing student at Trinity Washington University originally from Guatemala. “Moving to the United States at a young age shaped who I am today. My experiences have made me stronger and determined to reach my goals. I believe that every person has a voice, and no one should be afraid to use it. My experiences have taught me that speaking up for what you believe in takes courage, but that courage can inspire others to do the same. I want to remind people that they should never feel like they have to stay silent when something matters to them. Through my education, my writing, and my experiences, I hope to continue using my voice to inspire change and stand up for others.”
… I feel called to speak in classrooms, in communities, in spaces where immigrant voices are rarely heard. I feel driven to stand beside others who are living what I once lived, to let them know they are not alone, and to remind anyone who will listen that behind every immigration case is a human being, a family, a child looking through a window hoping to catch a glimpse of their father. …
Read Maria’s essay, Faith, courage, and the fight to belong
SECOND PLACE
Meryl Abe is a first-year student in the John Martinson Honors program at Northeastern University. She aspires to be a civil rights lawyer dedicated to upholding the dignity and fair treatment of all people. In high school, she was involved with her church youth group, the school newspaper, rowing team, and community service board. Outside of class, she enjoys reading, doing calligraphy, and baking.
… [W]hat I have come to understand … is that justice cannot be abstract. It has to attach to specific people in specific circumstances or it means nothing. That is the lesson that pushed me from reading about the issue to trying to do something about it. …
Read Meryl’s essay, A justice system should produce justice.
THIRD PLACE
Megan Barker is a Luxembourgish-American and second year student at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland where she is a double major in International Relations and Social Anthropology. She is the Head of Publicity for United Nations Association St Andrews and sits on the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts River Valleys in Minnesota. In her free time, you can find her writing or reading on the beach, in the library researching about global politics, or hanging out with her friends while watching Formula 1, or walking her dog. Megan has a passion for understanding the world around her and expressing it in a way that unites us rather than divides us.
… [T]he reality unfolding in Minneapolis, Minnesota, refused to stay contained within academic language. It disrupted any illusion that justice could be understood solely as an abstract concept. Instead, it revealed justice as something lived, contested, and deeply personal. …
Read Megan’s essay, I watched my city burn from afar.
Winners at the high school level
FIRST PLACE
Justice Finklea is a dedicated student and recent high school graduate with a passion for learning, writing, and making a positive impact in her community. She is beginning her college journey at Miami Dade College, where she plans to continue developing her academic and professional goals. Justice is passionate about using her voice to address important issues and inspire positive change.
… By choosing to stand up against unfairness, getting proximate to those in need, and demanding equity in our schools and courtrooms, we honor the sacrifices of those who came before us and help build a society where the scales of justice are truly balanced for everyone.
Read Justice’s essay, The ripple of justice: From the courtroom to the
community.
SECOND PLACE
Chinedu Abiaziem is a high school senior in Houston, Texas, with a growing interest in history, culture, and the stories that often get left out. He enjoys researching African and African American history and finding ways to connect what he learns to his own community. Outside of school, Chinedu works on projects centered on culture, civic engagement, and making information more accessible to other young people. He hopes to keep writing and learning from the people and communities around him.
… [P]oliteness in that moment felt like a form of betrayal. The moral conflict was clear: I could remain a detached coordinator who merely managed folders, or I could accept the emotional friction of truly understanding how precarious my neighbors’ lives were under current legal systems. ...
Read Chinedu’s essay, The friction of quiet spaces.
THIRD PLACE
Anaya Poullath is a senior at Regina High School, a member of the Class of 2027. She loves being involved in school activities and spending time with the people who make her high school experience so special. She has always had a passion for baking and hopes to pursue a career in baking and pastry after graduation. She is excited to see where the future takes her and to continue growing, learning, and making a positive impact along the way.
… What I have learned through my identity as a Chaldean Catholic is that peace is not something guaranteed. It is something people actively work to protect and create, even in small ways that are not always noticed. It is carried by those who choose faith after fear, service after loss, and dignity toward others even after being misunderstood. …
Read Anaya’s essay, Finding peace in a divided world.