Thursday, April 30, 2026
Amplifying Student Voice in a Digital Age: 2026 Hope and Stanley Adelstein Essay Contest Results!
Each year, the Hope and Stanley Adelstein Essay Contest invites high school students across Northeast Ohio to engage with one of the most essential pillars of a democratic society...freedom of speech. At The City Club of Cleveland, where we create conversations of consequence that helps democracy thrive, this contest continues to serve as a space for young people to think critically, reflect personally, and share boldly.
This year’s prompt challenged students to examine free expression in a world shaped by social media:
Social media has transformed how young people engage in dialogue, build community, and advocate for the issues that matter most to them. Yet as online expression expands, so do questions about free speech, responsibility, and the role of institutions in shaping that discourse. In a democratic society that values open dialogue, how should schools, communities, and digital platforms balance the right to free expression with accountability? And what responsibilities come with having a public voice in the digital age?
The responses we received were thoughtful, nuanced, and deeply reflective of the moment students are living in. From exploring the pressures of “going viral” to questioning who gets to regulate speech online, students wrestled with the complexities of digital expression in ways that were both insightful and honest. Many didn’t just answer the prompt—they challenged it, adding their own lived experiences and perspectives to the broader conversation.
We are proud to recognize and celebrate the students whose work rose to the top this year. Below are our 1st, 2nd, 3rd place, and honorable mention winners in both categories:
9th/10th Grade Winners
1st Place: Uelle Bishop, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (10th)
Winning Essay: The Responsibilities of Social Media
2nd Place: Juliana Truax, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (10th)
Winning Essay: Accountability and Freedom of Speech on Social Media
3rd Place: Kritika Chahar, Hathaway Brown (9th)
Winning Essay: Strength in Individuals and Institutions On Regulating Social Media
Honorable Mention: Zeynep Berber, Orange High School (10th)
Essay: Silencing a Generation Won’t Save Democracy
11th/12th Grade Winners
1st Place: Alessio Matera, Lakewood High School (12th)
Winning Essay: Digital Danger
Watch Alessio read his winning essay at our May 1 forum here:
2nd Place: Adrien Tullio, Lakewood High School (12th)
Winning Essay: Improving Social Media Etiquette of the Youth
3rd Place: Amelia Diemert, Lakewood High School (12th)
Winning Essay: Guidance, Not Silence
Honorable Mention: Lyndia Zheng, Beachwood High School (12th)
Essay: Balancing Liberty and Accountability in a Hyper-Connected Democracy
Each of these students demonstrated not only strong writing skills, but also a deep commitment to exploring what it means to speak and be heard in today’s society.
As always, we extend our gratitude to every student who submitted an essay. Your voices matter. Your ideas matter. And your willingness to engage in these conversations is exactly what keeps the spirit of free speech alive.
NEW THIS YEAR: Stay Connected and Shape What’s Next
We are excited to introduce a new way for students and educators to stay connected to the Essay Contest. This year, we will be offering an opportunity to receive the 2026–2027 essay prompt slightly ahead of its public release in the fall. This early access is designed to give educators a bit more time to plan and integrate the prompt into their classrooms.
If you are interested in receiving the prompt when it becomes available, be sure to sign up for our interest form.
And as always, we are continuing to invite ideas for future essay prompts. If there is a question, issue, or conversation around free speech that you believe students should be exploring, we want to hear from you.
Together, we can continue creating spaces where young voices are not only heard, but valued.
