AU's Student Contest
AU’s student contest asks students to think about why religious freedom and church-state separation are important and what they can do to protect it. This year, students are invited to respond to this prompt: How and why do religious and/or non-religious groups, on their own or together, advocate for the separation of church and state?
Meet the 2025 Student Contest Winners
High school video contest winners
First Place Winner – Nya Long (she/her), a high school student from Frisco, TX. Nya’s video explores how religious and nonreligious groups advocate for the separation of church and state.
“I participated in the Americans United contest because I believe a secular government is crucial to our way of life and should be advocated for.”
Second Place Winner – Rishika Padhy (she/her) a high school student from McKinney, TX. Rishika’s video explores the new law in Texas that requires public schools to display the Ten Commandments.
“I participated in Americans United’s essay contest to address how the implementation of the Ten Commandments in classrooms can feel unwelcoming to diverse students, as they champion religious freedom and inclusion for all.”
Third Place Winner – Samantha McCall (she/her), a high school student from Allen, TX. Samantha’s video also explores the new Texas law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom.
“I participated in the AU’s video submission in order to research a topic that I’m passionate about!”
College video contest winners
First Place Winner – Alannah Estvander (she/her), a college student at Thiel College. Alannah’s video looks at how the separation of church and state is often seen as anti-religion, but it actually protects all religions and none.
“I have always been interested in politics and its impact on those around me.”
Second Place Winner – Alessia Dominguez (she/they) a student from Woodbury University. Alessia’s video explores the problems that occur when the separation of church and state is violated in public schools.
“The importance of the separation of church and state has always interested me because its main idea leads back to diversity, and I think it was a great opportunity to defend it through this contest with something else I’m passionate about: art.”
Third Place Winner – Elandrea Baker (she/her), a student from Howard University. Elandrea looks at why the freedom to believe or not as you choose is so important to our democracy.
“I entered AU’s essay contest to reflect on how the separation of church and state has personally shaped my understanding of freedom, belonging, and justice in a diverse democracy.”
High school essay winners
First Place Winner – Cole Richardson (he/him) from San Diego, CA.
“Attending a very diverse school, I’ve witnessed interfaith interactions for many years and know how important promoting of religious tolerance and freedom can be; this passion and awareness motivated me to participate in AU’s essay contest, which allowed me to express my own beliefs on the importance of separation of church and state and gave me an avenue to become more involved with interfaith activism.”
Second Place Winner – Ifrah Azmi (she/her), is a student from Richmond, Virginia.
“I participated in this essay contest because it gave me the opportunity to speak about the importance of the first amendment and to remind myself how the separation of church and state has impacted and will continue to impact us.”
Third Place Winner – Katie Corrigan (she/her), is a student from Frisco, Texas.
“I participated in AU’s student contest because I am worried about the closing gap between church and state in America and I’d like to make a change.”
College essay winners
First Place Winner – Sophia Fortuniewicz (they/she), a student from Marist University.
“I participated in this essay contest because I wanted to demonstrate that the separation of church and state is not an attack on a mainstream, dominant religion, but a framework that benefits everyone, including non-Abrahamic faiths that are often left out of the conversation.”
Second Place Winner – Dylan Patton (she/her), a student from the University of Southern California.
“I participated in AU’s essay contest to explore how the separation of church and state has been essential in protecting both faith and freedom within African American communities, past and present.”
Third Place Winner – Joni Murphy (she/her), a student attending DePaul University.
“I have seen firsthand what a country looks like when religion dominates the conversation around the laws that affect lives, and I refuse to watch it happen in front of me again.”
