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MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE (MCC) NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Blurb: High school senior earns grand prize for her essay on immigration issues in the U.S.

Essay contest winner explores root causes of immigration conflictBy Jesse Epp-Fransen

March 28, 2013

WASHINGTON Madeline Gerig, a senior at Bethany Christian Schools in Goshen, Ind., has

earned grand prize for her essay on immigration in the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)

U.S. Washington Office annual essay contest.

In her essay entitled Roots in fear, Gerig wrote about the bases of conflict over immigration

and how this issue is experienced in the United States today. Gerig also described the role of

Mennonite Church USA in responding to immigration and the need for the federal governmentto prioritize the issue.

The root cause of tension surrounding immigration is racism, wrote Gerig, whose home

congregation is Assembly Mennonite Church in Goshen. By building relationships with our

neighbors and through fair policies, the nation can take the necessary steps in moving towards

a more peaceful and prosperous society and government.

In addition to the grand prize, national honorable mention prizes were awarded to Lea Graber

of Freeman (S.D.) Academy and Jean Ahn and Natalie Thorne, both of Bethany Christian

Schools. Grabers essay examined the topic of gun violence, Ahns essay was titled Fighting

with love against human trafficking and Thorne focused on creating a resolution to theColombian conflict.

The essay contest highlights the perspectives of youth on significant public policy issues and

promotes the involvement of young people in faithful witness to government authorities.

The contest is open to Anabaptist youth of high-school age and to all youth who attend

Mennonite high schools. Entries are judged on the participants understanding of the issues,

clarity of argument and degree of creativity in crafting thoughtful policy positions. Grandprize is $300, and honorable mention winners each receive $100.

Excerpts from the winning essays can be found at washingtonmemo.org.

Mennonite Central Committee: Relief, development and peace in the name of Christ

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Jesse Epp-Fransen is a legislative assistant and communications coordinator in the MCC U.S.

Washington Office.

Photo available: Madeline Gerig, a senior at Bethany Christian Schools in Goshen, Ind.,

earned grand prize for her essay on immigration in the MCC U.S. Washington Office annual

essay contest. (Photo courtesy of Bethany Christian Schools)