HudsonWay Essay Contest
Celebrating 20 years Developing Global Citizens
Announcing the Winners of the “Multilingualism is a Superpower” Essay Contest!
We are thrilled to reveal the recipients of the 2025 “Multilingualism is a Superpower” Essay Contest, celebrating students in grades 3–5 and 6-8 from the greater NY/NJ area. The theme inspired real-world reflections on how learning another language is a true superpower.
Mandarin Division
Grades 3–5:
1st Place:
Apollo De Vito
$250 & T‑shirt
2nd Place:
Maya Levitov-Volk
$100 & T‑shirt
3rd Place:
Jordan Silverman
$50 & T‑shirt
Spanish Division
Grades 3–5:
1st Place:
Catherine Samantha Bassett
$250 & T‑shirt
2nd Place:
Isabella Ascani-Torres
$100 & T‑shirt
3rd Place:
Elouan Ferrer
$50 & T‑shirt
Mandarin Division
Grades 6–8:
1st Place:
Sophia Amato
$250 & T‑shirt
Spanish Division
Grades 6–8:
1st Place:
Sebastian Ramos
$250 & T‑shirt
Congratulations to each of you — your essays showcased outstanding creativity, clarity, and personal insight.
A big thank‑you to all participants for sharing your experiences and evidence of how multilingualism truly makes a difference. We look forward to tomorrow’s leaders continuing to celebrate and leverage their language superpower!
To have another language is to possess a second soul
- Charlemagne