Share
Print
Facebook
YouTube
LinkedIn
Email
Twitter
Email Sign-UpNews and Events
My Magna Carta contestant from US wins Grand Prize
National News
Jane Josefowicz (center), from the Lincoln School in Providence, Rhode Island, won the overall Junior Prize in the English-Speaking Union International My Magna Carta Creative Writing Competition. She is shown here with her parents and the Chairman of The English-Speaking Union of the United States, Dr. Paul Beresford-Hill. The final round of the competition, where finalists presented their essays orally, was held on October 15 in London at Dartmouth House, the headquarters of the English-Speaking Union of the Commonwealth. Jane competed against students in the junior division from Australia, Chile, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius and the United Kingdom.
The My Magna Carta Competition began last spring when students from all over the world were invited to write their own Magna Carta for the 21st century: one document that safeguards and promotes the rights, privileges and liberties of either their own country or the whole world. Jane and Isabelle McMullen, from the Lovett School in Atlanta, Georgia, were selected as the United States essay winners, Jane in the junior division and Isabelle in the senior division.
An esteemed panel of writers and historians from Royal Holloway, University of London, selected the two Americans to represent United States in the international finals this October.
Jane won the overall Junior prize and Mfundo Radebe, from South Africa, won the overall Senior prize. Jane and Mfundo each received a certificate and a manuscript of their winning entry, published on parchment. Mfundo's and Jane's essays can be read here, along with all of the other finalists' entries.
All of the finalists enjoyed a full week in London, with cultural activities, public speaking training and opportunities to exchange ideas and make new friends.
My Magna Carta was part of the 800th Anniversary celebrations of the sealing of the historic document. The program was a partnership of The English-Speaking Union of the Commonwealth, Royal Holloway, University of London and the Magna Carta 800th Committee.