The Tolton Ambassadors – Chicago are incredibly proud to announce the official winners of the 2026 Venerable Fr. Augustus Tolton Writing Contest.

This year's competition brought in about 40 inspiring submissions from Catholic school students and parish youth groups throughout the region. Participants in grades 5 through 8 were asked to dive deep into a profound and challenging prompt:

Through beautifully crafted essays and deeply moving poetry, these young authors demonstrated a remarkable understanding of Fr. Tolton's enduring legacy, showing us how his historical journey can serve as a blueprint for standing up against injustice today.

Meet Our 2026 Winners

Essay Category

• First Place: N’Seya Evans (St. Ethelreda School)

• Second Place: Stevie Lothian (St. Edward catholic School)

• Third Place: Bailey Watson Tucker (St. Philip Neri Catholic School)

Poetry Category

• First Place: April Prichard (St. Barnabas Catholic School)