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Aldo Leopold Writing Contest Winners

​2017-2022

2022

CLICK ON STUDENT NAME TO READ ESSAY
2022 Aldo Leopold Writing Contest TOPIC and PROMPT
​​“Land, then, is not merely soil; it is a fountain of energy flowing through a circuit of soils, plants, and animals … When a change occurs in one part of the circuit, many other parts must adjust themselves to it.”
      ─  ALDO LEOPOLD, “The Land Ethic,” A Sand County Almanac​ 
​We are seeing climate changes disrupt the natural balance of this “circuit of soils, plants, and animals.” Unpredictable variations in temperature and rainfall in the Southwest are creating soil erosion, water scarcity, habitat loss, and more.

ESSAY PROMPT   What actions have you taken to help “tend the land” (such as protecting soil, plants, animals, wildlife habitat, water sources, etc.), or what are your ideas for how you and other young people can help counteract the impacts of climate disruption on the different elements of your local environment?​
​GRADES 6-7

FIRST PLACE
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ALEX HANNA, Grade 7
Albuquerque, Hanna Homeschool

​HONORABLE MENTION
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ADITYA VISWANATHAN, Grade 7
Los Alamos, Los Alamos Middle School

​HONORABLE MENTION
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STELLA GIORGETTI, Grade 7
La Mariposa Montessori​, Santa Fe
​GRADES 8-9

FIRST PLACE
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TIMOTHY RYER, Grade 9
Mandela International Magnet School, Santa Fe

​HONORABLE MENTION
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MIA SCHLEMAN, Grade 8
Mandela International Magnet School, Santa Fe

​HONORABLE MENTION
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KALILA KO, Grade 9
Tres Piedras, Taos High School ​​
​​GRADES 10-12

FIRST PLACE
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ELIOT PATTON, Grade 10
Albuquerque - Bosque School 

​HONORABLE MENTION
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ISABELLA McTEIGUE, Grade 11
Los Alamos - Los Alamos High School 

​HONORABLE MENTION
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MATTHEW OSCHWALD, Grade 12​
ABQ - Estancia Valley Classical Academy​

2021

CLICK ON STUDENT NAME TO READ ESSAY
​2021 Aldo Leopold Writing Contest TOPIC and PROMPT
“Acts of creation are ordinarily reserved for gods and poets, but humbler folk may circumvent this restriction if they know how. To plant a pine, for example, one need be neither god nor poet; one need only own a good shovel.”  
–  ALDO LEOPOLD, “Pines Above the Snow,” A Sand County Almanac 

​As the novel coronavirus spread in 2020, we needed to stay home. We had to turn back to familiar landscapes, reacquaint ourselves with our yards and neighborhoods, and look more closely at our own skies and landscapes.
​
“Using Leopold’s land ethic as a guidepost, think about lessons we can learn from staying home. What acts of creation – be that as poet or as planter  – did you unexpectedly find yourself taking up, and how did your creations build on some of New Mexico’s senses of dwelling with the Earth, such as querencia, kinship, acequias, and aridity?”​
​
​
​GRADES 8-9
FIRST PLACE
and Overall Best Essay
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DYLAN COMO-MOSCONI, Grade 8 Mandela International Magnet School, Santa Fe 
​Teacher:  Holly Call​

​HONORABLE MENTION
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CHARLES CHAPMAN, Grade 8
​Mandela Int'l Magnet School, Santa Fe 

Teacher: Holly Call

​HONORABLE MENTION
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KAREN ZHANG, Grade 9
​Albuquerque Academy, Albuquerque

​Teacher: Elizabeth Scott Buron ​
​GRADES 6-7
FIRST PLACE
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PIPPA BARRETT, Grade 7
​Journey Montessori Middle School, Santa Fe
​Teacher: Lara Prestinary​

​HONORABLE MENTION
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​HONORABLE MENTION
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INEZ CASTILLO, Grade 6
​Amy Biehl Community School, Santa Fe

Teacher: Joan Gauscheman
​MIA SCHLEMAN, Grade 7
​Mandela Int'l Magnet School, Santa Fe

​Teacher: Susan Nichols ​
​GRADES 10-12
FIRST PLACE
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BRIANNA XIE, ​Grade 12
Albuquerque Academy, Albuquerque
​Teacher: Casey Citrin​

​HONORABLE MENTION

​HONORABLE MENTION
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RYAN JADEN JIM, Grade 10 
Rehoboth Christian School, Rehoboth

Teacher: DeLyssa Begay
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​MAGGI VAN DRUNEN, Grade 10
​Rehoboth Christian School, Rehoboth
​
Teacher: Seth Weidenaar

2020

CLICK ON STUDENT NAME TO READ ESSAY
GRADES 10-12
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First Place + Overall Best Essay
MATTHEW OSCHWALD 
Grade 10, Estancia Valley Classical Academy ​​​
HONORABLE MENTION GRADES 10-12
Isabella Clark, Grade 11, Mandela International Magnet School (Santa Fe)
Mireya Sanchez-Maes, Grade 12, Mayfield High School (Las Cruces)
Sloan Tafoya, Grade 10, San Juan College High School (Farmington)
GRADES 8-9
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First Place  ​ 
​MERRICK WORD-BROWN    
​Grade 8, Santa Fe School for the Arts and Sciences​
HONORABLE MENTION GRADES 8-9
Akansha Nanda,  Grade 8, Mandela International Magnet School (Santa Fe)
Maggi Van Drunen, Grade 9, Rehoboth Christian High School (Rehoboth​)
GRADES 6-7
First Place   
AVERY BELL 
 Grade 7, Taos Integrated School of the Arts
HONORABLE MENTION GRADES 6-7
Dylan Como-Mosconi, Grade 7, Mandela International Magnet School (Santa Fe)
Ruben Cuesta Ray, Grade 7, Monte del Sol Charter School (Santa Fe)
Claire Johnston, Grade 7, Mandela International Magnet School (Santa Fe)

2019

Click on image to read winning essay
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ADYA RADCLIFFE, GRADES 6-8
Grade 6 - Desert Willow Family School (ALBUQUERQUE)
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NIVEDITHA BALA, GRADES 9-10
Grade 10 - Mandela International Magnet School (SANTA FE)











​
JESSE SMITH, GRADES 11-12
Grade 11 - Albuquerque Academy

2018

​Click on image to read winning essay
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AKSHAY WARRIER
OVERALL BEST ESSAY
Albuquerque Academy
listen HERE
FORWARD TO 8:20
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SETH ALMANZAR
​GRADES 6-7
Rio Rancho Middle School​
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ELIJAH RUSSELL
​GRADES 8-9
Jimmy Carter Middle School
(ALBUQUERQUE)
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PETER WATSON
​GRADES 10-12
Los Alamos High School

2017

​Click on image to read winning essay
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ISABELLA CLARK, GRADES 8-9
Mandela Independent Magnet School (SANTA FE)
OVERALL BEST ESSAY
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TIGERLILLY WARNER, GRADES 6-7
Aldo Leopold Charter School
(SILVER CITY)
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ABYGAIL MACCURDY, GRADES 10-12
Albuquerque High School
LEOPOLD WRITING PROGRAM
P.O. Box 40122  |  Albuquerque, NM 87196
505.265.8713 
LWP is a 501(c)3 organization​

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  • Home
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