Sarah Schleinkofer

“Justice matters. Justice is undeniably linked to equality of opportunity,” writes Sarah Schleinkofer, grand prize winner of the 2021 We the Students Essay Contest. “Achieving equality is complex and lies at the heart of our country’s most vexing debates.”

Sarah will be a senior this fall at Beverly Hills High School in Beverly Hills, California. One of sixteen winners, her essay was one of over 6,000 submitted to this year’s contest. She will receive $7,500 in scholarship funds and a scholarship to attend BRI’s 2021 Constitutional Academy in Washington, D.C. You can see the full list of winners and read Sarah’s essay here.

English and calculus are Sarah’s favorite subjects, and she is captain of the school’s lacrosse team. Sarah says she would follow Martin Luther King, Jr. on social media if he were alive today, and it’s her parents and coaches who daily inspire her “to work hard to achieve my goals in life.”

Because immigration law, criminal justice reform, and equity/equality are the three most important issues to her, it’s no surprise that Sarah’s future plans include studying law and becoming a defense attorney. “I find politics fascinating,” says Sarah, “and learning about our legal system [is] intriguing.”