2018 Northeastern University London Essay Competition Awards
We are delighted to announce the results of our 2018 Northeastern University London Essay Competition.
Launched with the vision to inspire research, critical thinking, and writing in the humanities and social sciences, this year’s competition received an unprecedented 1,800 entries from Year 12 students from the UK, Europe and around the world.
The judging panel for the competition was led by former Man Booker Prize judge and chairperson, Professor A C Grayling, who worked with academics and students from each of the University’s subject faculties to determine the shortlist and top prize winners. The judges were delighted by the academic calibre demonstrated by the essays.
The panel shortlisted 80 exceptional essays, from which nine top prize winners were to be selected. The panel wished to congratulate all entrants on their work, lamenting the difficulty in narrowing such a high quality field of entries to a shortlist of only 80 students.
Three award ceremonies were held at the University’s stunning Grade I-listed building in Bedford Square, each hosted by Professor A C Grayling. These events provided the opportunity for shortlisted entrants and their parents to enjoy canapés and refreshments to celebrate their success in the competition. Entrants were greeted by members of all College faculties, allowing these budding humanities and social science students to probe their minds and explore their chosen subject further.
Students whose essays were shortlisted were awarded a certificate and a £40 gift card. In addition, the top prizes were awarded:
First Prize: £2000 and £1000 for their school
- Oliver Bater, Harrow School, Philosophy. Read Oliver’s essay here.
- Ahlaam Moledina, Bishop Challoner Catholic College, English. Read Ahlaam’s essay here.
- Tony Wong, Brighton College, Economics. Read Tony’s essay here.
Second Prize: £1,000
- Winnie Zhu, The King’s School Canterbury, Art History. Read Winnie’s essay here.
- Ana Julia Ferreira, Vienna International School, Law. Read Ana’s essay here.
- Saatwik Gupta, Dulwich College, Economics. Read Saatwik’s essay here.
- Mashood Ahmad, Rutlish School, English. Read Mashood’s essay here.
Third Prize: £500
- Tatyana Goodwin, Varndean College, History. Read Tatyana’s essay here.
- Anna Cleary, St Mary’s School Ascot, Politics & International Relations. Read Anna’s essay here.
Shortlisted Entrants
While they may not have got the top prizes listed above, the shortlisted students are not to be underestimated; the quality of the essays from all of the following students was extraordinary:
Art History
Alice Croot, St Albans High School for Girls
Amber Hogan, Clifton College
Berenike Kahane, St Paul’s Girls’ School
Dulcie Hopkinson-Woolley, Stowe School
Eliza Browning, Tolland High School
Francesca Coey, Wood Green School
Hannah Carleton-Jepson, Farlington School
James Eykyn, Dr Challoners Grammar School
Kavya Verma, Oberoi International School
Poppy Smith, Sherborne Girls’ School
Economics
Abishek Kengeswaran, Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School Barnet
Alysha Ratnam, International School of Brussels
Ashley Bastian, Westminster School
Callum Alexander McFarlane, King’s Bruton
Claudia Vyvyan, Marlborough College
Daniel Brooks, Magdalen College School
Daud Bhatti, Gosforth Academy
David Fullbrook, The Skinners School
Dhillon Shukla, Dame Alice Owens School
Ifeoluwa Adeogun, Benenden School
Ishika Himanshu Shah, Aylesbury High School
Kareem Jafree, Harrow School
Katie Hemmings, Haileybury Turnford
Luke Henderson, Greenhead College
Matthew Pease, Ibstock Place
Olamide Lawal, Malvern St James
Srabosti Basu, Pate’s Grammar School
Yousef El Tahlawy, Harris Westminster Sixth Form
Yuqian Wei, Westminster School
English
Amber Juncal, Oaks Park High School
Anna Kallos, Het Rijnlands Lyceum Oegstgeest
Ariana Serafinceanu, Strathallan School
Celia Ellis, St Mary’s Calne
Coralie Sage, Munich International School
Elizabeth Ambrose, Westminster School
Elon Julius, The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School
Emily Wei, Brussels International Catholic School
Harry Lauchlan, Reading School
Imad Khan, Ilford County High School
Justin Chan, Torquay Boys Grammar School
Kaezeel Yeo, Anglo Chinese School International
Lara Monahan, Stamford High School
Lauren Hooker, Bennett Memorial Diocesan
Lena Hansen, Munich International School
Natasha Ketel, Notting Hill and Ealing High School
Philippine Duplat, International School of Brussels
Vincent Bailey Ladd, The Skinners School
History
Angus Robertson, Brockenhurst College
Anna Bailey, Ampleforth College
Aoife Walter, Highgate School
Charles MacNeice, Queens College Taunton
Jemima Williams, Harris Westminster Sixth Form
Natasha Kee, Ricards Lodge High School
Oli Heald, Clifton College
Pedrek Venton, Truro School
Warren Liow, Raffles Institution
Law
Alessia Ciocanea, Harris Westminster Sixth Form
Benjamin Fuller, Pate’s Grammar School
Cara Robinson, Epsom College
Charlotte McBride, Hereford Sixth Form
Deteeanna Rama, Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School, Barnet
Esme Edworthy, Clifton College
George Beglan, Reigate Grammar School
Helena Jackson, Canford School
Hoyoon Andrew (Jun), Loughborough Grammar School
Jakub Mikulski, Sutton Grammar School
Mikage Mizutani, The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls
Ruby Chukwumah, Bellerbys College
Sam Morgan, Brockenhurst College
Samuel Wong, Queen Elizabeth Boys Barnet
Sophie Garnett, Durham Johnston Comprehensive School
Tabby Boyton, Cheltenham Ladies College
Yasmin Abdullah, The Douay Martyrs Catholic School
Philosophy
Alex Omidvar, Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys
Aysha Tarafdar, Peter Symonds College
Basil Geczy, St Paul’s School
Darcy Dixon, Westminster School
David Zazo, St Paul’s School
Deirdre O’Connor, The British School in the Netherlands
Eleanor Cogan, Prior Park College
Ismail Mir, King Edward VII Upper School
Isobel Wolf, St Swithuns
Lily Newman, Latymer Upper School
Lolade Aluko, Sevenoaks School
Mary Neale-Smith, Caterham School
Mollik Shamimuzzaman, King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys
Natasha Wren, St Paul’s Girls’ School
Rosie Pinder, Chenderit School
Rufus Law, St Paul’s School
Shariq Haidery, Manchester Grammar School
Visnja Jovanovic, Chiswick School
Politics & IR
Jack Chong, Wellington College
Monica Richards, Varndean College
Ella Dane Liebesny, South Hampstead High School
Flora Keeling, Kings College Taunton
Francesca McBride, Portsmouth High School
Tomisin Osibona, Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls
Zoe Rostas, University College School
Alex Phillips, The Forest School Academy Trust
Cara O’Dwyer, Fettes College
Anya Haldemann, The British School in the Netherlands
Thore Kohl, Kyiv International School
Tess Lindsay, Tudor Hall School
Clare Leaver, Cheltenham Ladies College
Jerry Loh, Hwa Chong Institution
Steven Walters, St Joan of Arc School Rickmansworth
Natasha Fok, Benenden School
Daniel Dunlop, Brighton College
Elizabeth Davies, Putney High School