IRVINE, CA — Bayside High School junior Cheska Mauban from Queens Village, NY, is $10,000 richer this month! Cheska is the winner of the Ayn Rand Institute’s annual “The Fountainhead” essay contest, for which she received the cash award.

Open to 11th and 12th grade high school students, “The Fountainhead” essay contest requires contestants to write on one of several topics dealing with the characters and themes in the novel. The contest is designed to promote critical thinking and writing skills. Essays are judged on both style and content.

Over 6,000 students from around the world entered this year’s contest.

The following students have won this year’s second and third prizes:

Second-prize winners ($2,000):

Chelsea Speegle, Juneau Douglas High School, Juneau, AK, US

Jared Hinkle, MMI Preparatory School, Weatherly, PA, US

Diane Shahan, Bluefield High School, Bramwell, WV, US

Alysha Labrum, Century High School, Pocatello, ID, US

Hanne Paine, West High School, Salt Lake City, UT, US

Third-prize winners ($1,000):

Micah Fitzgerald, New Haven High School, New Haven, IN, US

Cody Franklin, Bartlesville Sr High School, Bartlesville, OK, US

Richad Becker, Kinnelon High School, Kinnelon, NJ, US

Raluca Ifrim, Redmond High School, Sammamish, WA, US

Sarah Waddill, Clover High School, Rock Hill, SC, US

Ruth Wong, Earl Haig Secondary School, North York, ON, CA

Ashley Feng, Pingry School, Watchung, NJ, US

Sara Stewart, Handley High School, Roanoke, AL, US

Tristan Aumentado-Armstrong, FFCA High School, Calgary, AB, CA

Kelly Buckley, Key School, Annapolis, MD, US

The contest also awards 45 finalists ($100) and 175 semi-finalists ($50). A complete list of winners and a copy of the first-prize essay can be read online at the Ayn Rand Institute’s Website.

First published in 1943, “The Fountainhead” tells the story of an innovator — architect Howard Roark — and his battle against the tradition-worshipping establishment.

The Ayn Rand Institute receives more essay submissions to its contests than any other national contest. Over $93,000 is given out each year in prize money to high school and college students from around the world. More information on essay contests on this contest as well those on “Anthem”, “Atlas Shrugged” and a new contest on “We the Living” is available online.

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The Ayn Rand Institute has experts available for interviews. Please contact media@aynrand.org or call 202-454-1997, x200.

The Ayn Rand Institute promotes the philosophy of Ayn Rand, author of “Atlas Shrugged” and “The Fountainhead.” For more information on Objectivism’s unique point of view and ARI’s high school and college programs, go to ARI’s website.