American Fire Sprinkler Association’s Virginia Chapter
2006-2007 Essay Contest Winners

Each year, the AFSA Virginia Chapter awards scholarships to the top three winners in our statewide essay contest. The purpose of the contest is to help educate people about fire sprinklers and how they save lives and property, and to help students continue their education. It is only open to high school seniors. The essay must be from 700 to 1000 words, and include a bibliography. Essays are judged on accuracy, content, punctuation, and creativity. The main focus was on being creative. This years’ topic was to “Describe the History and Impact of Automatic Fire Sprinklers.” We received 117 entries, and the majority of them were excellent.

The 2007 AFSA Virginia Chapter Essay Contest winners are:

  • First Place - $1500 - Christina Badami, of C. D. Hylton High School, in Woodbridge
    Title - “A Dorm’s Most Important Accessory.”
  • Second Place - $750 - Michaela Halsey, of Covington High School, in Covington
    Title - “The Automatic Fire Fighter,”
  • Third Place, $500 - Kayli Bates, of J.J. Kelly High School, in Wise
    Title - “Fire Sprinkler Systems Creating Happy Endings.”

Click on the Names of the winners to download a ".pdf" copy of the essay.

Christina Badami’s essay “A Dorm’s Most Important Accessory” was written about from the point of view of a sprinkler in a college dormitory, and was very interesting and creatively done.

Christina recieved $1500 for the first place title.

Christina’s essay was entered in a random drawing in the National contest against other winners in two other state chapters, but unfortunately she did not win in that contest.

 

Michaela Halsey's essay "The Automatic Firefighter" was very interesting and added a bit more artistic view creating a very fun essay to read.

Michaela recieved $750 for the second place title.

She is pictured on the left accepting the award and check from Shawn C. Stanley, CFO, Fire Protection Inspector from the Virginia State Fire Marshal's Office.

AFSA-Virginia Chapter would like to thank the 117 high school seniors who entered the contest this year. There were many excellent essays written. In fact, it was so hard, that for the first time ever, we are awarding three other essays $100 each as “Honorable Mention” essays this year.

Click on the Names of the Honorable Mentions to download a ".pdf" copy of the essay.

Honorable Mentions:

    • Lisa Bunch, of West Point High School, in West Point, “A Burning Consideration,” uniquely written in a letter to her sister about the advantages of sprinklers.
    • Jessica Estienne, of Lakeland High School, in Suffolk, about a curator of a museum called the “Flaming Fresco Museum of Art” giving a tour that includes an exhibit on sprinklers.
    • Kathleen Wade, of Colonial Forge High School, in Stafford, untitled, about the Station Fire in Rhode Island.

Frankly, all of the essays were well done and very creative. Congratulations to the winners, and all of those who entered. Even if you did not win a monetary prize, it is hoped that you came away with the knowledge of what automatic fire sprinklers can do, and how they may one day save your life and those of the people around you.

Thank-you again for entering our contest!

Ron Reynolds
AFSA-Virginia Chapter, Essay Chairman