“Freedom to Read” Essay and Art Contest

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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