Knights of Columbus Winners

Knights of Columbus Winners

To what degree does peer pressure affect the average student?

This question was posed by Padre Pio Council No. 14191 of the Knights of Columbus to senior students of Hammonton High School and St. Joseph High School. The three winners of this specific essay question could receive up to $500 for scholarship money towards college.

The Knights of Columbus is a fraternal organization that was created based upon the principles of a few Catholic gentlemen. These gentlemen believed in the power of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism to promote benevolence within a community, support the Catholic Faith and its priests, and perform charitable services. This organization is often referred to by themselves and others that know the fraternity well as the “Strong Right Arm of the Church.” Some of the more prominent Knights include: John F. Kennedy, Associate Supreme Court Justice, Samuel Alito and former Florida Governor, Jeb Bush.

The basis of this essay topic comes from the fact that everyday teenagers are forced to do things through peer pressure that they may have never tried with the absence of this pressure. Whether it’s drinking, drugs, or even trying different clothes, every teen will face different forms of pressure, both positive and negative, provided by friends of peers around them.

On the essay itself, the essay guidelines are as follows: the essay must be between 800 and 1000 words, must include references, illustrations, and tables, and must be about the hardships and positive outcomes from dealing with peer pressure.

After the guidelines are followed, grading is based on the content and the presentation of the essay. When the Brother Knights grade the essays submissions, they grade based approximately %50 on content and %50 on the presentation.

The first place winner from Hammonton High School is Shontiana Butcher. Butcher says, “I focused my essay primarily of the positive affects of peer pressure rather than the negative aspects of it.” Butcher will be using her $500 scholarship towards Rutgers University.

The third place winner from Hammonton High School also speaks about the essay she wrote.

“Basically, I wrote about the morals I was raised with and the morals that I know believe in. Thanks to my English teacher, Mrs. [Stacy] Peretti, I had specific guidelines to follow that definitely helped me win,” she said. Bailey will be moving on with her $50 scholarship to Atlantic Cape Community College.

With college right around the corner, the money more you have helps in the end. It takes scholarships like the Knights of Columbus scholarship to help move each student further in helping fund their schooling.