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“Freedom to Read” Essay and Art Contest | Websites of Interest
2025 Winner & Finalists
Reception: Thursday, June 5, Levittown Public Library, 7:30pm
Art, ages 7-9
Winner:
Olivia Zheng, Henry Waldinger Memorial Library (Valley Stream)
Title: The Nutcracker
Author: Retold from E.T. Hoffman by Jane B. Mason
Finalist:
Sehaj Nanda, Lee Avenue School (Hicksville)
Title: Are You My Mother?
Author: P.D. Eastman
Finalist:
Joshua Varughese, Lee Avenue School (Hicksville)
Title: Fantastic Mr. Fox
Author: Roald Dahl
Essays, ages 7-9
Winner:
Ahshaya Nadimpalli, East Street School (Hicksville)
Title: Odder
Author: Katherine Applegate
Finalist:
Olivia Zheng, Henry Waldinger Memorial Library (Valley Stream)
Title: The Nutcracker
Author: Retold from E.T. Hoffman by Jane B. Mason
Finalist:
Anaya Mahajan, East Street School (Hicksville)
Title: Wander
Author: R.J. Palacio
Art, ages 10-12
Winner:
Emily Terry, Lee Avenue School (Hicksville)
Title: The Bad Seed
Author: Jory John
Finalist:
Aiden Jean, South Woods Middle School (Syosset)
Title: Crooked Star’s Promise/Warriors
Author: Erin Hunter
Finalist:
Joanna Zelaya, Lee Avenue School (Hicksville)
Title: The Dress Makers of London
Author: Julia Kelly
Essays, ages 10-12
Winner:
Abigail Gervase, East Street School (Hicksville)
Title: The Bridge to Terabithia
Author: Katherine Paterson
Finalist:
Zachery Cardoz, New Hyde Park Memorial High School
Title: I Am Malala
Author: Malala Yousafzai
Finalist:
Lily Yeneic, East Street School (Hicksville)
Title: History Smashers: Salem
Author: Kate Messner
Art, ages 13-15
Winner:
Ava Chen, Garden City High School
Title: Uzumaki
Author: Junji Ito
Finalist:
Madison Lee, Sacred Heart Academy (Hempstead)
Title: The Catcher in the Rye
Author: J.D. Salinger
Finalist:
Juanita Martinez, Lynbrook High School
Title: One Hundred Years of Solitude
Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Essays, ages 13-15
Winner:
Paige Josling, Garden City High School
Title: A Mango Shaped Space
Author: Wendy Mass
Finalist:
Shaurya Patel, New Hyde Park Memorial High School
Title: Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Author: Jeff Kinney
Finalist:
Taylor Maguire, Garden City High School
Title: The Catcher in the Rye
Author: J.D. Salinger
Art, ages 16-18
Winner:
Beatrice Briganti, Garden City High School
Title: The Odyssey
Author: Homer
Finalist:
Emma Lamaina, Holy Trinity Diocesan High School (Hicksville)
Title: Harry Potter
Author: J.K. Rowling
Finalist:
Lila Gunnells, Sacred Heart Academy (Hempstead)
Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty
Author: Jenny Han
Essays, ages 16-18
Winner:
Andrea Ross Pineda, New Hyde Park Memorial High School
Title: Because of Winn-Dixie
Author: Kate DiCamillo
Finalist:
Genesis Chacon, Holy Trinity Diocesan High School (Hicksville)
Title: Defending Jacob
Author: William Landay
Finalist:
Sahajpreet Gill, New Hyde Park Memorial High School
Title: Spiderman: Kraven’s Last Hunt
Author: J.M. DeMatteis
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