2020-21 Saint Kosmas Essay Contest
Winners
Congratulations to Thea Frederick of Denton, Texas who is the all-round winner!
Posted below are the first place essays for each of the age divisions.
All students who place in this contest,
and are present at the 2021 Saint Kosmas Conference or Oratorical Festival,
will be presented with their award at the event in Gold Canyon, Arizona.
For those winners NOT in attendance at the conference or oratorical festival,
awards will be mailed out following the conference.
“High School & Young Adult” Division as defined by:
Birth Years 2001-2006
(age 15-20 in 2021)
1st Place:
The Timeless Importance of Motherhood
Thea Frederick (Texas)
2nd Place:
The Impact of a Saintly Mother
Morwenna Mitchell (Missouri)
3rd Place:
Training Children as Saints: The True Duty of Mothers
Anneke Van Denend (Washington)
“Middle School” Division as defined by:
Birth Years 2007-2009
(age 12-14 in 2021)
1st Place:
Technology: Servant or Master?
Seraphim Nelson (Louisiana)
2nd Place:
Holy Mothers: The Crucial Factor
Michael Larsen (Arizona)
3rd Place:
Blending Into Screens
Dana Cenusa (New Jersey)
“Elementary” Division as defined by:
Birth Years 2010-2012
(age 9-11 in 2021)
1st Place:
Saint Sophia, the Mother of Martyrs
Vera Jackson (California)
2nd Place:
St Paisios on Modern Conveniences
Calin Cenusa (New Jersey)
3rd Place:
The Role of Mothers
Dimitrios Larsen (Arizona)
High School Division — First Place Essay (2020-21)
The Timeless Importance of Motherhood
Thea Frederick
The natural family, as God created it, is very important to the proper development of children as God meant them to be. The father, mother, and siblings all play their own special role in the cultivation of a healthy child. In general, the daughters take after their mother and the sons after their father, but there are certainly things to be learnt the other way around, particularly the sons from their mother. There are many, many men whose lives testify to the incredible impact their mothers made in their journey to sainthood.
The mother is, in a sense, the heart of the home. After Christ, she is the nurturer, healer, helper, lover, guide, and consolation of her family. While the son looks to the father as an example of protection, strength, and provision, he looks to the mother as an example of gentleness, love, and sacrifice. The woman is what he must protect, provide for, and be strong for. His father shows him how to be a man, his mother makes him want to be a man. She gives the child an image of something honorable and beautiful to love and protect. By reflecting goodness, truth, and beauty in her character, she gives him something to honor, and what’s more, and desire to honor. The qualities that a good mother inspires in her son are things such as gentleness, respect, sacrifice, and a desire to protect and defend that which is True, Good, and Beautiful. These qualities are what makes a man out of a boy. These show greatness and virtue in a man. But not greatness in the sense of social superiority like kings or rulers, but rather, the character that is devoid of meanness and littleness, those things which make a man cowardly, selfish, and childish.
The mother is also the parent with the most guidance in the lives of her children. While the husband is out providing for his family, the mother is at home nurturing the children in their faith and duties. This gives the children much opportunity to watch and emulate the mother, which makes her impact so important to the future lives of her children.
Saint Martha, the mother of Saint Symeon, was an ideal example of motherhood. Bereft of a father young, Saint Symeon was raised by his pious and devoted mother. She set an example for him through her dedicated prayer life, her deeds of goodness for the poor, her restraint from speaking any evil, and her godly wisdom. Of course, besides her we have many other examples of true motherhood in the Church, the greatest of which is the Mother of Christ, the Theotokos. The Theotokos is the epitome of womanhood as well as motherhood. Her example is what every Christian woman ought to strive for. A devout and God fearing woman, one who sacrificed much and sought the Lord’s will above all things, she was the strongest, gentlest, and best of women to have been able to bear in her womb and raise our Saviour, Christ himself.
The needed role of the mother in the family has changed very little over the centuries, but the role of mothers as we see it today has changed drastically. While many modern day mothers now seek new uses for their time, other than raising their children, so that they can find what they consider to be “fulfillment” in their lives, children have not changed in their psychological, spiritual, and physical needs when it comes to interaction with their mothers. The mother’s role in the family is crucial to the proper development of her children, but many seek to avoid this truth as they would rather be out pursuing their dream career and leaving the care of their children in the hands of daycares, babysitters, or schools. Children’s needs for their mothers have not lessened over the years, if anything, they have increased. This can be noted in the negative behavior that constantly being away from their parents increases in children, specifically their mothers.
It is beyond important for a mother to be there for her children and to seek to raise them in the faith while working her hardest to be the best example that she can be, because more than all the words a person can say, the example of a virtuous person speaks volumes, particularly for children. Saint Nectarios’ words "Who can deny that it is mothers who produce great and virtuous men?" are more important and true than many people today, especially mothers, realize. Women would do well to ponder his words and examine whether they themselves are exemplifying the virtues they wish to see in their children, and whether they are attributing to themselves the enormous impact they can have on the lives of their children.
Middle School Division — First Place Essay (2020-21)
Technology: Servant or Master?
Seraphim Nelson
"Because modern conveniences have exceeded all bounds, they have become inconveniences. Machines have multiplied and so have distractions; man has been turned into a machine. All kinds of machines and inventions now rule over man. This is why human hearts are turning into steel." —St. Paisios
Technology can be a very powerful yet dangerous tool. It has been said that technology is neither good nor bad but depends on how it is used. While this seems to be true most of the time, certain technologies, like the internet and social media, have become so powerful and so deeply entrenched in our lives so that they are no longer serving us, but we are serving them. The servant has become the master. The tool has become the idol. The problem isn't what's on the screen. The problem is that we have chosen the screen over real life.
Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. Modern man believes that technology will make work faster or easier. Technology seems to "shrink" the space and time that separate us from people and things. Cars, trains, and planes bring us places we could never go by foot. An answer to almost any question is just a Google search away. Microwave ovens pop out your chicken nuggets in less than a minute. You can see and hear a family member on the other side of the world with one smartphone call. Technology can be a very powerful tool in education, opening us up to a world of learning resources. Educational games make it fun to learn things. We can share work with other students and teachers around the world.
They say technology is supposed to 'free up' our time, but in reality it 'sucks up' our time by constantly giving us new things to do or to check. The endless scroll could distract us forever. The mental part is when you become so addicted to your phone and/or computer that you care more about your online life than your real life. Things that are good for your body like eating healthy, working out, and praying are at the bottom of a list that never gets done. Irritability, isolation, neglecting responsibilities, anger, procrastination, and not being able to go to bed without screens are all signs of dependence. We only like instant solutions to problems, and the internet makes us think we can have that. Real learning takes time, especially for young children. It is important for children to learn true friendship through real contact with other children before engaging in digital contact. Same thing with learning/education—if you let a computer do it for you from the beginning, you will never learn to do it yourself.
So, how do we keep our priorities straight? Be intentional about it. It is the heart that mediates between the head and the hands. Unplug the screens religiously. You can go on a digital detox retreat to give your brain some time to detox and relax. Minimize your online presence by carefully choosing with platform to be a part of. Intentionally unplug or turn off you computer a least one a day a week. Find something you like to do more then being on screens. Parents can set filter and help kids manage their online time. Parents and children can work together in making rules for screen time.
In a Greek myth about how humans learned to make fire, Prometheus steels fire from the gods and gives it to humanity because he felt sorry for humanity's weakness. However, Prometheus was eternally punished by Zeus for this because the fire actually ended up harming humans more than helping them. Having technology without wisdom is like kids playing with fire.
Elementary Division — First Place Essay (2020-21)
Saint Sophia, the Mother of Martyrs
Vera Jackson
St. Sophia was an example of a pure mother who led her children to be saints by teaching them about God and to love God. When the Emperor’s soldiers came to her house, instead of being scared, they stood up and prayed to God that they would have faith and went joyfully to the Emperor. The Emperor asked, “What are your daughter’s names and how old are they?” Respectfully, she answered, “This is Faith and she is twelve years old, this is Hope and she is ten years old, and this is Love and she is nine years old.” The Emperor was amazed by how she answered and said, “Your children will be tortured if you don’t renounce your God.” But St. Sophia was so strong in her faith that she gave up her children for Christ, and when her children saw this, they were strengthened to joyfully die for Christ and become saints.
Another example is how she raised them. St. Sophia raised them by reading the scriptures to them to learn about God, to pray to God, to love Him and others through almsgiving, and they did house chores, so they weren’t idle. They were taught to pray to God when they woke up when they went to bed and whenever they ate. Because they were taught like that, they were prepared to die gratefully, willingly, and patiently.
The last example is how she encouraged them. When Faith, Hope, and Love were going to get beheaded, and when the persecutor tortured them, instead of watching and just standing there, St. Sophia told each one of them, “Stay strong in Christ. It will make me very happy with joy. I love you very much. Stay strong in the faith. God is preparing a crown for you in heaven.” When each of them heard this, Faith, Hope, and Love died for Christ and became saints.
As St. Nectarios of Aegina writes, “Who can deny that it is mothers who produce great and virtuous men?” St. Sophia showed that that quote was true for her pure daughters. She had love for her children, strong faith in God, and hope that her children would not renounce God. Her godly wisdom raised three long-suffering martyrs.
Topics for 2020-21 Essay Contest:
2020-21 Essay Topic - Option #1
(St. Paisios Quote on Technology)
St. Paisios the Athonite writes,
"Because modern conveniences have exceeded all bounds, they have become inconveniences. Machines have multiplied and so have distractions; man has been turned into a machine. All kinds of machines and inventions now rule over man. This is why human hearts are turning into steel."
How do you see St. Paisios' words relating to education today? How should families and schools approach modern technology in relationship to education?
In your essay, work to develop depth and breadth, using concrete examples and drawing from the wisdom of the Church in developing your position.
2020-21 Essay Topic - Option #2
(St. Nektarios Quote on Mothers)
St. Nectarios of Aegina writes,
"Who can deny that it is mothers who produce great and virtuous men?"
Write an essay on what you think St. Nectarios means when he says these words in relationship to the role and importance of mothers in the formation of saints. You may want to consider the Theotokos, St. Anna, and other mothers of saints in your response, including both how they were raised and how they parented their children. Further, you may also want to consider the role of mothers in the home within the life of the family today.
In your essay, work to develop depth and breadth, using concrete examples and drawing from the wisdom of the Church in developing your position.