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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- October 3, 2006
CONTACT: Scott Hirko, Public Relations Officer,
shirko [at] mihumanities.org, 517-372-0029 ext. 25

ROCHESTER HILLS STUDENT WINS NEH AWARD
Sang “Bill” Jung one of four winners of 2006 “Idea of America” national essay contest

(LANSING)-----The Michigan Humanities Council (MHC) joins the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to congratulate San “Bill” Jung for his selection as one of four winners of the 2006 “Idea of America” essay contest. The NEH’s We the People program includes the essay contest among many efforts which support the teaching, study, and understanding of American history and culture. Jung’s essay competed against more than 1,700 others from 11th graders across the nation. Each of the winners will receive an award of $1,000 and attend a national awards ceremony and dinner held November 6 at the U.S. Supreme Court. Hosted by NEH, the ceremony will feature the presentation of medals to the four winners in honor of their achievement and the designation of one of the four students as the grand prize winner, who will receive a total prize of $5,000.

“The Michigan Humanities Council congratulates San Jung on his ability to craft a winning essay which excels in its historical understanding of the impact of America’s freedoms on our society,” stated Jan Fedewa, executive director of the Michigan Humanities Council.

"The core tenet of our We the People program is that a knowledge of America's history and founding principles is vital to both active citizenship and a robust democracy," said National Endowment for the Humanities Chairman Bruce Cole, "Each of the essay winners demonstrated an exceptional understanding of historical deliberations on the First Amendment, as well as how the Amendment impacts our nation today. I congratulate each of them on their engagement in the ongoing study of our American ideals, and I look forward to discussing their thoughts in greater depth when we meet in Washington."

Jung is the third consecutive Michigan finalist in the program, which has been offered annually since 2003. Previous Michigan finalists were Ian Gilbert of Beverly Hills in 2005 and Leah Nolan of Twin Lake in 2004.

The young essayists wrote about the historical debate our founders had over the benefits and disadvantages of adopting the First Amendment to the Constitution, and they explained, in 1,500 words, whether the freedoms named in the First Amendment are fundamental to the functioning of our democracy. Essays were first evaluated by 16 history teachers. Those essays with the highest scores were then reviewed by staff at the McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum in Chicago and members of the National Council on the Humanities who recommended finalists to NEH Chairman Bruce Cole. The Chairman made the final selections.

The Michigan Humanities Council, founded in 1974, is the state’s independent, non-profit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. For additional information on the Michigan Humanities Council, please visit: www.michiganhumanities.org or call 517-372-7770.

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The Michigan Humanities Council, founded in 1974, is the state's private, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs is a state agency and is a part of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries.

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