Homeschooled Short Hills Teen Won the National JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest
Local Homeschool News: New Jersey
From our archive of homeschool success stories: Jeffrey Seaman, a homeschooled junior from Short Hills, New Jersey, won the national John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest for High School Students in 2018 (Patch).
His winning essay told the story of Harry T. Burn, a 24-year-old Tennessee state representative who cast the deciding vote in 1920 to ratify the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women the right to vote. Jeffrey wrote about how Burn voted his conscience despite heavy pressure from constituents, local leaders, and protesters.
Jeffrey was honored at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and received a $10,000 scholarship. His teacher and nominator was his father, David Seaman, who received a $500 John F. Kennedy Public Service Grant for projects that encourage student leadership and civic engagement.
According to the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, Jeffrey was also an AP National Scholar and a winning competitor in speech and debate tournaments run by the National Christian Forensics and Communication Association. He had placed first in the 2017 New Voices Young Writers contest, volunteered for donation drives, and entered gardening and baking contests at the Middlesex County Fair.
It is a great reminder that a parent-led education can open doors to national honors. Students interested in the contest can learn more at JFKLibrary.org. For more on homeschooling in the state, see our New Jersey Homeschool Laws page.
Sources:
- Eric Kiefer, “Homeschooled Short Hills Teen Wins National JFK Essay Contest,” Millburn-Short Hills Patch, June 14, 2018