Bobbie Bramlett, 82, Best Senior Essay Winner, is a native of Oklahoma. She and her husband, Bill, have lived in Colorado the past six years. She is active in her local P.E.O. Chapter, plays mahjong, and likes to walk and play golf. Bobbie’s great granddaughter, Halley Moak, was a Constituting America winner in 2010, and inspired her to learn about the Constitution!
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Gayle Poole, Best Short Film Winner, Adult Category, was born in Houston, Texas. Gayle is the mom to four adult children and the Mamie to three wonderful grandkids. She works with the primary children’s organization in her church and is taking sign language classes at the local junior college. She loves reading history, doing photo collage art, gardening, and dancing with her husband of 34 years. She is a happy Texan and an appreciative American!
Nathan Poole, 25, Best Short Film Winner, Adult Category, is studying biology at the University of Texas at Tyler. He plans on studying genetics and then ultimately attending medical school. He is participating in a study of turtle and leech relationships, and is beginning to conduct a research project on salamander regeneration. He also spends time shadowing physicians in preparation for future schooling. He is involved in the community through church service projects and volunteering at the local zoo. He and his new wife teach a youth Sunday School class together. They enjoy traveling, camping, and enjoying the outdoors any chance they get.
Interview: https://vimeo.com/87975377
Justis Ward, 18, Best College Song Winner, is from Douglasville, Georgia. He is a Freshman at Mercer University and is currently on a Pre-Med track. He recently graduated from Central High School, where he was MVP on his Varsity Basketball Team and Student Body President. Along with his high school activities, he volunteered over 3000 hours at a local afterschool program and summer camp. However, despite his busy schedule, he always finds time to write and compose music, as playing his guitar and singing are two of his favorite pastimes.
Interview: https://vimeo.com/89623582
Micah Edwards, 18, Best College Song Winner, lives in Houston, Texas. Currently, a junior at the University of Houston, he is part of the Bauer School of Business and pitches for the university’s baseball team. Along with his sister, he is also the co-founder, pianist, and lead singer of the locally popular Jazz/Pop group LEYBON (pronounced lay-bun). His future goals include becoming a major league pitcher and then eventually moving on to the front office of a major league sports franchise.
Interview: https://vimeo.com/86725359
Thomas Cooke, 20, Best College Speech Winner, is originally from Hastings, Nebraska. He is beginning his junior year at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, where he is an editor for the school newspaper’s opinion section, Chair of Cornell’s College Republicans chapter, and a competitor on the Mock Trial team. His mother teaches English as a second language to elementary school children and his father is a professor of math and computer science at Hastings College. Thomas’ older brother is in pilot training at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas. Thomas has been interested in writing, public speaking, and current events from a very young age and enjoys opportunities to get involved in politics at every level.
Interview: https://vimeo.com/87014736
Amanda Tesarek, 19, Best College Short Film Winner, is from Superior, Wisconsin, and attends Columbia University in New York City. She is currently a sophomore, and plans to pursue a double major in biochemistry and political science and a minor in Arabic language. Her extracurricular activities have included student government, newspaper, and improvisational comedy. Amanda was especially inspired to enter this contest after attending the American Legion Auxiliary’s Girls State and Girls Nation programs, which taught her the importance of patriotism and appreciating those who serve in the armed forces.
Interview: https://vimeo.com/85479083
Emily Carnevale, 19, Best College PSA Winner, has begun her sophomore year at Denison University. She enjoys video production, art and discussing political and social issues. She especially enjoys writing and performing original slam poetry and is now an established poet on stage and in print. Through her powerful performances and films, Emily has been able to effectively communicate her message to audiences. She became interested in filmography when her father inspired her by making his own documentary. She has been filming and editing documentaries, PSAs, and short films since she was a sophomore at Centennial HS. Emily is double majoring in Cinema and English and aims to pursue a career that combines writing and video production.
Interview: https://vimeo.com/84928466
Nicole Reed, 17, Best High School PSA Winner, is from Oak Lawn, Illinois and is a senior attending Harold L. Richards High School. She is currently involved in her school and community in many ways. She is Class President, a varsity cheerleader, a leader in her school Bible club, a member of the senior leadership program, and a member of the Peer Mediation club – as well as being involved in many volunteering organizations such as the National Honor Society and the National Spanish Honor Society. Also, she volunteer coaches a Jr. High competitive cheerleading team. Nicole had a lot of fun creating the PSA, and feels so blessed to be awarded this opportunity. She greatly enjoyed learning and informing others about the Constitution and, in the future, hopes to study corporate law.
Interview: https://vimeo.com/83916688
Colton Hinderliter, 17, Best High School PSA Winner, lives in Marietta, GA and is currently a senior at Keystone National High School. Colton won last year’s Constituting America We the People 9.17 Contest in the Best High School Short Film category. Colton is actively involved in the arts in his community and is a professional dancer with the Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theatre. Colton will continue his love of dance in the future as he is currently applying to colleges across the Southern United States as a Dance major.
Interview: https://vimeo.com/81257254
Josef Junek, (pronounced: YOU-nek), 15, Best High School Short Film Winner, currently lives in Rosenberg, Texas, U.S.A., North America, Planet Earth, with his parents, three sisters, one brother, numerous pets, and the occasional door-to-door vacuum salesman. He is home-schooled, which allows him and his brother plenty of time to experiment with making other short films. In addition to being a filmmaker, Josef is also a professional clown, unprofessional cartoonist, and has written one unpublished novel. He hopes to become a professional filmmaker someday, though would prefer not to work on anymore projects which require him to stand upside-down in a trashcan.
Interview: https://vimeo.com/86372714
Kory Shore, 16, Best High School Song Winner, hails from Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. He’s been musical his entire life — a drummer at 3-years old, piano and singing at 6, and composing at 12. His first music video, “Crying for America” went viral and was featured on several national news outlets. He’s passionate about freedom and his music and often will weave Constitutional themes into his lyrics. Currently, he’s recording a number of new songs, and just released his latest music video, “Don’t Be Afraid (to Cry)” on YouTube, a song written in memory of one of his classmates who was killed tragically in a car accident a few days before school ended. Kory attends Episcopal Academy. He’s a serious wrestler, runner, and snowboarder. His website is koryshore.com.
Interview: https://vimeo.com/83306673
Caroline Clauson, 16, Best High School Essay Winner, is a resident of Xenia, Ohio and is a student at Xenia Christian School. She has studied classical violin for seven years and enjoys playing fiddle music on her violin and mandolin. Caroline runs track and cross-country and participates in choir and orchestra. This semester she is being home-schooled while her family lives in Washington, D.C. where her father is temporarily working. Caroline is thinking of pursuing a career in journalism following high school.
Interview: https://vimeo.com/87252539
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Jessie Liz Clement, 14, Best Middle School Song Winner, is a musically gifted singer-songwriter from Lafayette, Tennessee. She is the youngest of four children and is home-schooled through Classical Conversations’ Challenge program. Jessie was honored to be Constituting America’s Best Middle School Song winner in 2012 and, in turn, had the high honor of singing at the SBA List “Campaign for Life Gala” in Washington D.C earlier this year. Self-taught on the guitar, piano, ukulele, and mandolin, Jessie writes songs about life and love from the heart of innocence. Her newest album, “Runaway Adventure” with 13 new songs written by Jessie and produced by Nashville session singer Russell Terrell, was released in August, 2013, and can be found on iTunes or at www.jessieliz.com. Besides music, Jessie enjoys hunting, arts and crafts, and playing on a local varsity volleyball team.
Interview: https://vimeo.com/83873626
Tiffany Curtis, 15, Best Middle School Essay Winner, resides in Smithville, Ohio. Since Preschool she has gone to Wooster Christian School, and will now go on to Smithville High School. Her favorite subjects are Reading, Art, and History. She served as Student Council President during her 8th grade year at Wooster Christian. Tiffany has one older sister and two supportive and loving parents. Her favorite activities include reading, listening to music, playing with her dog, and spending time with friends. Tiffany hopes to honor and bring praise to God through whatever she is putting her heart into.
Interview: https://vimeo.com/86156650
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Lindsay Culpepper, 11, Best Poem Winner, lives in Maylene, AL, just south of Birmingham. She is a sixth grader at Evangel Classical Christian School, where she enjoys studying science, Latin, and history. In her free time, she likes reading, writing, art, horseback riding, and playing basketball. An animal lover, she has attended Zoo Camp at the Birmingham Zoo each summer for the past four years. She recently started serving in the children’s ministry at her church, assisting with the children’s worship service. In the future she hopes to become a writer, a nature photographer, or a veterinarian.
Read Poem Here.
Grace Canales, 7, Best Artwork Winner, lives in Corpus Christi, Texas with her parents, older sister Becca, and younger brother Michael. School is cool for Grace as a 2nd grade scholar at Luther Jones Elementary. Three recent achievements include her being the Top Accelerated Reader in her class, earning 2nd place in the 2013 Law Day Poster Contest, and having among the “best tasting” recipes for the Chamber of Commerce Lemonade Day Contest! She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, playing soccer and swimming. Grace loves Jesus and His Blessed mother Mary and has a heart as big as Texas!
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Maryem Bouatlaoui, 10, Best Emblem Winner, is a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was born in Morocco. Maryem attends Henry W. Lawton Elementary School. She is involved in a lot of afterschool programs like The Choir Club, Patriots Club and Environmental Club. Maryem also enjoys drawing and hopes to become a doctor when she grows up.
See Emblem Here.