Jonathan Bojorquez, Helix High School Senior, Wins 5th Annual Essay Contest and $2,500 First Prize

And The 2017 Essay Contest Winners Are…….If you were asked to write an essay answering the questions, “What is the biggest challenge you have had to overcome? How did you overcome it and how did that affect your life?” what would you write? These questions were posed to San Diego’s low-income teens as part of the A Bridge For Kids 5th Annual Essay Contest. Personal ailments, unsupportive families, drugs and addictions, negative self-image, and deportation were some of the many challenges teens wrote about, making the judging process both heartbreaking and difficult. After hours of reading the essays written by 225 entrants, the final top 10 winners were chosen.We want to thank every student who took the time to create an essay and enter this contest. We are pleased to announce the following winners and the prizes they earned.

1. Johnathan Bojorquez, Helix High School, $2,500 sponsorship.

2. Luis Lopez, Hoover High School, $1,000 sponsorship.

3. Zhen Yao Cai, Patrick Henry High School, $500 sponsorship.

4. Misael Figeroa, Crawford High School, $500 sponsorship.

5. Marquell Carr, Gompers Preparatory Academy, $500 sponsorship.

6. Alyssa Silva, Hilltop High School, $100 Amazon card.

7. Oscar Liao, The Preuss School, UCSD, $100 Amazon card.

8. Duyen Tran, Crawford High School, $100 Amazon card.

9. Bao Lam, The Preuss School, UCSD, $100 Amazon card.

10. Reagan Jordan and Luis Lopez, Steele Canyon High School, $100 Amazon card.