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National High School Essay Contest: Republic of Azerbaijan
 National High School Essay Contest
Republic of Azerbaijan
The National High School Essay Contest on the Republic of Azerbaijan in partnership with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation for the 2011-2012 year brought ten student winners on a two week Study Tour of Azerbaijan in June 2012. The program was open to all World Affairs Councils and high school students.
Click here to watch a short video made by Eric Yang, from the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth, about his experience on the trip.
Visit our Facebook page to view photos from the Study Tour.
Azerbaijan was a country category for this year's Academic WorldQuest National Competition. Participating World Affairs Councils were responsible for selecting and awarding the top three essays in their region.
The Councils sent the top three essays in their region to the National Office. From this pool of top winning essays from participating councils, the National Office will then select the top 10 National winners.
Partipating Councils
Top Ten Essays:
The Top Ten Winners and invited participants in the Azerbaijan Study Tour are as follows in alphabetical order:
Adam DePaz: World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley, Poughkeepsie Day School
Thomas Estabrook: World Affairs Council West Central Illinois, Jacksonville High School
Dylan Hardenbergh: Alaska World Affairs Council, South High School
Natasha Laramie: World Affairs Council - Washington D.C., Dominion High School
Matthew Miller: World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, Germantown Academy
Camille Sanches: World Affairs Council of the Florida Palm Beaches, Alexander Dreyfoos School of the Arts
Madeline Sposato: Peoria Area World Affairs Council, Peoria Notre Dame High School
Nicolas Tuccillo: World Affairs Council of Connecticut, Canton High School
James Yan: WorldBoston, Weston High School
Eric Yang: World Affairs Council of Dallas/FortWorth, The Colony High School
Regional Finalists:
Regional First Place:
Joe Barton: Dayton Council on World Affairs, Kettering Fairmont High School
Sean Colin-Ellerin: Santa Fe Council on International Affairs, Desert Academy
Clay Coode: World Affairs Council of Greater Richmond, North Side High School
Adam DePaz: World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley, Poughkeepsie Day School
Yunis Dhalai: Detroit Council for World Affairs, Universal Academy
Peter Doenges: Minnesota International Center, Chaska High School
Kathryn Donahoo: World Affairs Council of Houston, The John Cooper School
Ashley Dunn: World Affairs Council of San Antonio, Communications Arts High School
Thomas Estabrook: World Affairs Council West Central Illinois, Jacksonville High School
Anthony Fratto Oyler: Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy, Judge Memorial Catholic High School
Julia Gabriel: World Affairs Council of Las Vegas, Las Vegas Academy
Kevin Grout: World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana, St. Henry’s District High School
Katie Hamel: World Affairs Council of Western Michigan, Kent Innovation High
Dylan Hardenbergh: Alaska World Affairs Council, South High School
Corrine Hutfilz: World Affairs Council of Oregon, Reynolds High School
Ashley Inman: Naples Council on World Affairs, Gulf Coast High School
Ryan Johnson: Colorado Foothills World Affairs Council, Standley Lake High School
Natasha Laramie: World Affairs Council - Washington D.C., Dominion High School
Nicky Manlove: Montana World Affairs Council, Sentinel High School
Matthew Miller: World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, Germantown Academy
Danielle Moreau: International Affairs Council
Muhammad Talha Quadri: Pacific and Asian Affairs Council, Roosevelt High School
Camille Sanches: World Affairs Council of the Florida Palm Beaches, Alexander Dreyfoos School of the Arts
Zoe Serratelli: World Affairs Council of Greater Hampton Roads, Cape Henry Collegiate School
Trenton Smith: World Affairs Council of the Desert, Desert Christian Academy
Valerie Snaman: World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, Moon Area High School
Eric Song: World Affairs Forum, Newtown High School
Madeline Sposato: Peoria Area World Affairs Council, Peoria Notre Dame High School
Nicolas Tuccillo: World Affairs Council of Connecticut, Canton High School
Emma Wernecke: World Affairs Council of Atlanta, Starr's Mill High School
James Yan: WorldBoston, Weston High School
Eric Yang: World Affairs Council of Dallas/FortWorth,, The Colony HS
Jackson Yellen: World Affairs Council of Orange County
Regional Second Place:
Ethan Arsht: Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy, Rowland HallSt. Marks School
Cale Clingenpeel: Alaska World Affairs Council, South High School
Soham Shah: Colorado Foothills World Affairs Council, Standley Lake High School
Najah Hamka: Detroit Council for World Affairs , International Star Academy
Jackson Smith: Montana World Affairs Council, Sentinel High School
Max Bressler: Naples Council on World Affairs, Community School of Naples,
Muhammad Saifullah Quadri: Pacific and Asian Affairs Council, Roosevelt High School
Sarah Isenberg: Santa Fe Council on International Affairs, Santa Fe High School
Otito Greg-Obi: World Affairs Council - Washington D.C., Georgetown Visitation
Anne Rentz: World Affairs Council of Atlanta , Starr's Mill High School
Pompeo Mazzella: World Affairs Council of Connecticut, Branford High School
Hannah Treasure: World Affairs Council of Dallas/FortWorth, Flower Mound HS
Tiana Bailey: World Affairs Council of the Greater Hampton Roads
McLain Faett: World Affairs Council of Greater Richmond, Douglas Freeman High School
Michelle Raji: World Affairs Council of Houston, Clear Creek High School
David Ferguson: World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana, St. Henry’s District High School
Nicholas Winner: World Affairs Council of Las Vegas, Advanced Technologies Academy
Sam Dreyer: World Affairs Council of Orange County, Campbell Hall School
Gillian Downey: World Affairs Council of Oregon Tualatin High School
Miller Schulman: World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12
Garret Hinck: World Affairs Council of San Antonio, Keystone School
Matthew Meyer: World Affairs Council of the Desert, Desert Hot Springs
Matthew Stapylton: World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley, Poughkeepsie Day School
Regional Third Place:
Carolyn Anderson: World Affairs Council of Atlanta, Starr's Mill High School
Donald Chaney: World Affairs Council - Washington D.C., Potomac Falls HS
Austin Dumas: World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana, St. Henry’s District High School
Malaika Guardian: World Affairs Council of Las Vegas, Del Sol High School
Areeba Haider: Detroit Council for World Affairs, International Star Academy
Joseph ,Kline: World Affairs Council of Dallas/FortWorth, Lamar HS
Evan Koch: Montana World Affairs Council, Bridger High School
Paris Mitton: Colorado Foothills World Affairs Council, Standley Lake High School
Manisha Palla: World Affairs Council of Oregon, Tualatin High School
Melony Sarno: World Affairs Council of the Greater Hampton Roads
Nicholas Paraiso: World Affairs Council of Greater Richmond, Douglas Freeman High School
Skyler Samuels: World Affairs Council of Orange County
Curtis Sicks: Alaska World Affairs Council, West High School
Srinath Soundararajan: World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy
Greg Steinhelper: World Affairs Council of San Antonio, Keystone School
About Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan is a country at the nexus point of the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. Historically, the country has always been a middleman for the East and West-- in ancient and medieval times it was a central point along the Silk Road and today its strategic placement keeps it a focal point for commercial and energy policies and regional and global geopolitics. The World Affairs Councils of America conducted a Leadership Mission to Azerbaijan in spring 2011.
Essay Topic
The Essay Topic is the following: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has planned an official visit to Azerbaijan. You are Secretary Clinton's Foreign Policy Advisor responsible for Azerbaijan and have been tasked to write the briefing materials for her trip. The briefing materials can be no longer than 1000 words maximum. The materials must be succinct and to the point. They must include:
- An assessment of whether/how the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic of 1918-1920 influences Azerbaijan today in terms of democracy, rights of women, and foreign policy;
- A discussion of how Azerbaijan's geographic location has influenced the country's security and economic policies;
- An explanation of where the strategic interests of the U.S. and Azerbaijan converge and diverge;
- A summary of perspectives for extending Azerbaijan's geopolitical influence beyond the South Caucasus in light of its leading regional position and its socio-economic development; and
- The top 3 most important issues in US-Azeri relations and your recommendations for US policy on the trip.
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