Kalamazoo Valley Essay Contest Winners for 2025

Every year, the English Department showcases the talents of students who submit their work to the Winning Essays contest. The winning essays appear in an online format rather than a printed booklet, making the submissions available to a wide audience. All the essays, which reflect a range of genres, were written in English courses at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

Congratulations to the winners of this year's English Department essay contest!

Essays from English 110 and 160: Narrative
First place: "Indifference and Reduction" by Logan Johncock
Second place: "Melodies of the Past" by Alyssa Frank
Honorable mention: "My Mother's Love" by Abigail Kopec

Essays from English 110 and 160: Other
First place: "My Last High" by Amie Jozwiak
Second place: "Styles of Leadership" by Lily Heintzman

Essays from English 111: Literary Criticism
First place: "Depression Isn't Just for White People: A Psychoanalytic Reading of 'I Tried to be a Good Mexican Son,'" by Tyler Johnson
Second place: "Trouble in Paradise: A Psychoanalytical Interpretation of 'The Lie'" by Lucas Dickman