Comet Freshman, Georgia Clark's essay entitled "Religious Freedom, an American Principle" received 1st place in the state of Iowa for the 2025 George S. & Stella M. Knight Essay High School Contest! Her essay will represent the state of Iowa at the National Competition, where those selected 1st in each state will compete to win the top prize of $5,000; a medal and recognition certificate; up to $500 toward travel expenses and a one-night hotel stay for the winner and a chaperone at the annual Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) Congress.
The contest required Georgia to submit an original 800-1,200-word essay based on an event, person, philosophy, or ideal associated with the American Revolution, Declaration of Independence, or the framing of the United States Constitution. Georgia decided to enter because "Most essays aren't this open, and they focus specifically on one prompt or idea." When asked why she chose to write about religious freedom, Georgia said, "Religious freedom is one of those founding ideals of our country that is often taken for granted. At the time of the American Revolution, almost every other part of the world didn't allow for religious freedom. You had to conform to the religion that your country supported, and if you didn't, you were shunned, ostracized, kicked out, or killed. Our Founding Fathers wanted to ensure that this could never be in our country, and they took great pains to implement legislation and Constitutional amendments that prevented the Government from endorsing any religion, kept Church separate from State, abolished religious testing for public positions, and made sure that everybody was free to practice any religion they wanted without having to fear persecution or discrimination from the government. Also, I was inspired by a particular scenario that is playing out in Iowa as we speak. Private religious schools in Iowa are receiving government funding like taxpayer money, while public schools, which heavily rely upon taxpayer money and government funding, are being neglected. I find this to be wrongful. Private religious institutions should not be receiving this government aid, as they are PRIVATE (meaning they can turn people away from the school, and not accept people in), and a Religious institution, and the government cannot be involved in religion in any way."
To read Georgia's essay, click on this link: Religious Freedom, an American Principle by Georgia Clark
Winners of the national competition will be announced in the spring of 2026, and the 136th Annual SAR Congress is scheduled for July 10-16, 2026. We asked Georgia what words of advice she would give to students interested in entering a contest like this, and she said, "Go for it! These competitions are fun and enlightening, allowing people to gain a deeper understanding of our world. These competitions can also provide incredible opportunities for people, often offering prizes like monetary aid for college, or even free trips to different places, and often, all you need to compete is your school Chromebook! So, if you're considering entering one of these, go for it. No matter what, you'll leave the experience having learned something new." Georgia also added, "I think it's extremely important that we, as young students, as the future of this country, continue to learn and grow. It's important that we make an effort to push for education and change in this world. I think it's important that students in West Liberty continue to prove that we are mighty, even though we're a small rural school, because we can show the world that we're an amazing little town full of amazing people. Go Comets!"
We wish Georgia all the best in the 2025 National George S. & Stella M. Knight Essay High School Contest! Go Georgia!