Intermediate Composition

Olivia Hull, Fall 2009 On November 20, 2009 a group of three middle school boys attacked another boy at A.E. Wright Middle School in Calabasas, California. This attack was not an isolated incident and at this school a total of seven other students were also bullied as a result of a Facebook group called “National… Read more Olivia Hull, “Save the Gingers: A Proposal to Save Our Red-Headed Friends from Possible Extinction,” 1st Place ENL 260

Meghan Matheson, Fall 2011 It’s ten o’clock on a Thursday night. The popcorn’s ready. The anticipation is palpable as MTV’s hit series, “Jersey Shore,” has its second season finale tonight. There has been enough drama, cat-fights, bar-fights, hook-ups, jokes, pranks, and controversy to accumulate a pretty decent ending to this fiery season, which was set… Read more Meghan Matheson, “Here’s the Situation… An Evaluation of MTV’s ‘Jersey Shore,’” 1st Place ENL 260

Sara Kelley, Fall 2006 A well-known commercial asks, “What’s in your wallet?”: an interesting question, intended to increase awareness about a certain credit card. I would like to ask a similar question, “Where is your wallet?,” intended to increase the awareness (particularly in men) about the dangers of carrying a wallet in the back pocket.… Read more Sara Kelley, “Where is Your Wallet?” 1st Place ENL 260

Kristie LaBerge, Fall 2009 I walk into my Birch apartment and am immediately assaulted by the red splattered all over the walls. My fingers release. The Target bags slam and loose their canned goods. Silence. I tiptoe through the still air and over the tile stained with red splotches. My heart beating frantically, I spot… Read more Kristie LaBerge, “Pom-Struck,” 1st Place ENL 260

Joseph MacKenzie, Fall 2009 For some United States citizens, illegal immigration is the cause of much concern. For most who hold this position, the obvious worries are terrorists sneaking in through our loosely protected borders, loss of jobs to immigrants who are paid under the table, and non-taxpayers who receive the same benefits as legal… Read more Joseph MacKenzie, “The Other Side of the Crash,” 2nd Place ENL 260

Abigail Bartalini, Fall 2011 Our society’s definition of marriage has changed over the years. The structure of the ideal, nuclear family has always been held together by marriage. Marriage always served a specific purpose; whether it was intended for legal, social, or economic stability, the formation of a family, procreation, legitimizing sexual relations, fulfilling religious… Read more Abigail Bartalini, “Defining Marriage: Cohabitation for Modern Childrearing,” 2nd Place ENL 260

Lauryn Nosek, Fall 2007 Humor is a dangerous weapon that needs to be brought under control before it’s too late. Too often humor is used in arguments where it doesn’t belong or isn’t required, confusing millions of helpless readers, listeners, and viewers. Humor is best described by Andrea Lunsford, John Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters in… Read more Lauryn Nosek, “The Last Laugh: A Humorous Argument Regarding the Misuse of Humor,” 2nd Place ENL 260

Chloë Krueger, Fall 2009 History has many definitions and there are many ways to interpret what history truly means, but one certainty remains; history is all encompassing; it is the journey of the living and the story of the dead. History is the sound of silken slippers whispering across majestic halls, tiptoeing down great flights… Read more Chloë Krueger, “History: Silken Slippers and Wooden Shoes,” 2nd Place ENL 260

Keith Amaral, Fall 2009 One of the big draws of America has always been the country’s reputation as “the land of opportunity.” Everyone who has made the trek, and continues to make the trek, to America’s borders has done so under the premise of freedom. As Americans, we are told how lucky we are to… Read more Keith Amaral, “The NBA: Morality Police and Basketball Savior,” 3rd Place ENL 260

Charles Gale, Fall 2009 Every time a syllabus is passed out the first day of class there is a predictable format for it and summary of information on it. It has the teacher’s name on the top along with the class name, and assignments and grading policies after them. Most of the material on syllabi… Read more Charles Gale, “A for Effort, A+ for Extra Effort,” 3rd Place ENL 260