Mt. Lebanon High School Student Wins National Christopher Columbus Essay Contest

Mt. Lebanon High School sophomore, Morgan Meer, won first place nationally in the Christopher Columbus Essay Contest with her essay “Columbus and Lindbergh: A Journey Across the Atlantic.” The international contest is sponsored by the National Christopher Columbus Association and the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, providing a cash prize of $1,200. On Columbus Day, Morgan was invited to Washington, D.C., for the Columbus Day Celebration to read her winning essay and accept her award. The ceremony was held in front of the Christopher Columbus Statue at Union Station with the U.S. ambassadors from Italy, Spain and the Bahamas in attendance. The president’s own U.S. Marine Band played while almost 30 other civic organizations took part in the ceremony, including the National Park Service. When asked about her process of entering the contest, Morgan replied, “I love history, and my favorite aspect is discovering the stories behind the people and their achievements.”