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Over the spring of 2025 Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, in collaboration with the Friends of Hopewell Furnace, conducted its annual essay writing contest for middle and high schoolers in the local school districts. Below are this year's winning submissions.
Along with cash prizes provided by the Friends of Hopewell Furnace, the students are invited to read their essays at the annual Independence Day commemoration ceremony in the park on July 4, 2025.
High School Group
1st Place – Brynn McKeown
Twin Valley High School
In Philadelphia, PA, in 2014, I woke up every day chasing a happiness I can only describe as simple. At six, I filmed silly videos with my sister and captured little moments in my life. I played the Nintendo Wii for hours on end without a care in the world. I savored every bite of my food. I listened to Weezer and pretended to be cooler than I was.
That was my understanding of happiness: pure, simple, and playful. My pursuit of happiness wasn’t exactly a pursuit at all; it just existed without me really thinking about it.
Fast forward to Morgantown, PA, in 2025, I wake up every day concerned about what the future might bring. I’ve traded my childish ignorance for endless anxiety about grades, colleges, and careers. I am only focused on what will happen next, and I tend to replace the present with my fearful thoughts about what lies ahead.
But, the other night, while watching Hamilton, I realized an eye-opening truth: I will never be satisfied. No matter what I achieve, accomplish, or attain, it will never be enough. But, instead of ruminating on this fact, I decided to change it.
The Declaration of Independence promised life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but it never truly defined what that pursuit was. When I was six, I didn’t need to find my happiness; I didn’t need to earn it by getting the highest grade on my essay or scoring an A on my chemistry exam, it was just there. I think that’s what I would like to return to: cherishing my everyday moments.
If I waited until I accomplished all of my goals to be happy, I would never experience joy. That day will never come, because there is a constant chase, a list of to-dos that will never be fully checked off, and so, each day, I must embrace happiness for myself.
From memorizing my favorite songs to doing the things I love, like writing and debating, laughing with my classmates over nothing in particular, and doing the daily Wordle, my pursuit of happiness lies not in the distant future, but in the life that I take for granted almost every day.
As I sit at my kitchen counter, at 6 am in the morning, anxiously waiting for the next grade, I hope to hear the mourning doves with their gentle ‘coo-OO-oo.’ That sound helps me to pause and breathe, reminding me that happiness isn’t a chase. Sometimes, it’s found in the walk to school, the sunrise over the hills, or the simple fact that I am alive, and that is enough.
2nd Place – Luke Falcon
Spring-Ford Area High School
In 1776, when Thomas Jefferson wrote the famous line that stated all Americans are guaranteed the rights to “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness,” he wrote it as a message to the future generations of this country that we should endeavor to keep these rights a prominent feature throughout our lives. Pursuit of happiness, to me, means making and creating memories that will last a lifetime.
Memories serve as placeholders for moments in our lives that we wish to cherish, and therefore making them becomes so much more important to preserve the best moments of our lives and making our time more exciting and fulfilling. The idea that happiness is achieved through making others happy is part of making memories. Choosing to partake in activities that cause yourself and others to feel excited is a core element to creating a life full of memories that you’ll look back on and still feel as happy as you did in the past. I frequently look back on activities I do with my family and friends, such as going out to try new foods or running cross-country races together. These moments help define me and peak my interests.
And, even though memories are pictures of the past, striving to create them becomes a fundamental part of a person’s pursuit of happiness. It’s important to remember the best and worst parts of life because those moments make creating the good memories that much better. History is riddled with examples of extreme happiness caused by the worst in humanity, like VJ Day, which marked the end of a horrible war but created a pocket of celebration across the globe that still resonates with society today. The collapse of the Berlin Wall symbolized the end of decades of division in Germany and was a pivotal moment in the collapse of communist regimes across Eastern Europe. Crowds celebrated with singing, dancing, and the physical dismantling of the wall, marking a new era of freedom and unity. Although the average person doesn’t do extreme things like these, it’s the small things that count. Spending time with family, goofing with my best friends, celebrating the holidays, or going to Phillies games, etc. are the key parts in anyone's life that make lasting differences for a lifetime.
Our founding fathers intended for their progeny to live life to the absolute fullest, experience a world where we are free to do our own actions with the people we care about. These moments become memories, and therefore become the pursuit of happiness for me.
3rd Place – Charlotte Morrison
Twin Valley High School
I can still feel the warmth of the spring as I ran worry-free through my yard at no more than five years old. The soft green grass sprinkled with violets and dandelions brushed against my ankles as I chased the butterflies I spotted, my little white net in hand. More often than not, they escaped my swings in attempts to catch them. When I finally succeeded in catching one, I called my mother over to show her my trophy, the delicate creature that I found so beautiful, and I always found myself chasing that beauty.
From a young age, I found myself immersed in the natural world around me. I moved from Warminster, Pennsylvania at a younger age than I can remember. Ever since then, my mother and father had me outside in our forest-surrounded plot of land in Robeson, exploring and experiencing life away from the screens that plague every child, teenager, and even adult today.
Though I am no longer that little five-year-old girl, I still find myself walking along the creek, the mellow sound of its water flowing as beautifully as the melody of my favorite song.
About a year ago, I found myself with a camera in hand, instead of my little white net, aiming it at every flower, animal, and beautiful view I saw. I began going on trail walks more frequently, immersing myself even more, finding beauty in every sight I saw and every blooming flower. As I picked up photography, I became more curious about my surroundings. I began looking up the little blue butterfly I saw earlier or information about a flower I spotted on the creek side. These facts turned into something more. I wanted to know more and be aware of everything I saw. I began reading field guides in my free time, my fingertips running over the colorful photos on each page that were covered in scientific names and facts. It never occurred to me that this could be a part of my future. That I could take advantage of the opportunities I am given today to keep pursuing what makes me happy. It is now apparent to me that I would like to become an ecologist. To preserve and benefit nature's ecosystems, and to give back to what has made me who I am today.
As the Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”(preamble of The Declaration of Independence). I am immensely grateful for the rights given to me today. They have given me the ability to live my life to the fullest and engulf myself in what makes me happy, nature. It is significant to recognize that not everyone is promised these rights. On that note, embrace your rights and pursue your own happiness wherever it may lead you.
Middle School Group
1st Place – Jasmine Moore
Twin Valley Middle School
When was the last time you thought about the positive things in your life? As people, it’s common to divert our attention directly to the negative things in our lives and the world around us. However, I have found great joy in pursuing my happiness as I learn the importance of appreciating the small things in life.
Appreciating the small things in life provides a stronger sense of gratitude, as it leads me to acknowledge how grateful I really am. According to the Greater Good Science Center, having gratitude has multiple benefits such as increased happiness, optimism, and life satisfaction. When I am appreciative of the little things in my life, I find myself with a more constructive outlook when it comes to the negative aspects of life. I enjoy pursuing my happiness as I cherish the small things that include exploring nature, listening to music, waving to my friends at school, eating, spending time with family, or even just smiling at a stranger. I am overcome with fulfillment while doing all of these things because I have learned to value small moments throughout my day to day life. When I pay attention to these little events on a daily basis, I am reminded that happiness doesn’t have to rely on major achievements or events and it allows me to appreciate what I already have. I pursue my happiness when I treasure small moments like the ones listed, which leads me to creating a positive lifestyle.
Overall, I enjoy appreciating the small things throughout life as my pursuit of happiness, as it provides me with an everlasting beneficial outlook on life. Next time something small happens, I advise you to try to take a moment to reflect on and cherish it to boost your everyday experiences to the fullest.
2nd Place – Juliet Shepherd Governor Mifflin Middle School
My happiness is an ever-changing entity, never exactly the same as it was in the moment before. So it stands to reason that the pursuit of my happiness would be just as obscure, maybe even more, right? But that isn’t even close to the truth.
It’s always been quite clear to me what makes me happy, even if sometimes I don’t admit it to myself. Happiness feels natural, so we don’t always notice it, but it’s in the little things; a cool breeze on a hot day, a compliment you might have been expecting but still feels good, seeing someone you love even if you see them all the time.
Happiness is every time your heart and soul get a little lighter, and you forget about all the pain and worrying the rest of life brings. It isn’t a lasting thing, or a destination you can reach, it’s simply being aware of everything you have to be grateful for. Even if you think there isn’t that much to be grateful for, there is. You simply have to know how to look for it.
Happiness is always accessible, knowing that in your darkest hour, there will still be light. My pursuit of happiness is seeing those beacons of light and joy in the darkness and going after them tenaciously. It’s a never-ending, sometimes confusing, but always fulfilling journey into the horizon. Making the tiny impulsive decisions, being myself, and living every day like it’s my last, because that’s what the pursuit of happiness is— it’s the continued opportunity to make yourself better than you were, because happiness itself is being content with who you are.
3rd Place – Nityasree Sanka
Marsh Creek 6th Grade Center
The Declaration of Independence states that everyone has a right to “ Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” The Founding Fathers believed everyone should be free and find what brings them happiness and joy. What makes me happy is Indian singing, Sangeetham. Sangeetham represents my culture, where you use your hand for the beat and sing the Sanskrit letters and cultural songs. Sangeetham is an Indian classical Carnatic music style.
Sangeetham lets me express myself, and I feel calm while the musical notes flow out of my mouth. The magical rhythms of the music make me happy and relaxed. When I sing for others, I love choosing which song to sing. The moment I begin to sing, I feel a wave of calm crash over me. Singing allows me to tell stories of devotion and culture to everyone. I love showing pride in Sangeetham.
In Sangeetham, there are many challenges, and my biggest challenge is the Sanskrit letters. You have to learn the tune of singing the letters, and your hand has to follow the beat in all three speeds.
Whenever the letters and tune are too hard for me, I listen to the audio and look at the beat every time I make a mistake. If I get that part of the music, I practice some hard songs.
Sangeetham is in pursuit of Happiness, as once stated in the Declaration of Independence, “ Everyone has a right to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” I chose Sangeetham out of everything that makes me happy because it connects me to my culture and lets me express myself. I feel so excited when I share my passion with others who like this type of music, especially classical music. My happiness comes from my Indian culture, which is Sangeetham.
