The Maltz Museum announces the 2025 Stop the Hate Youth Speak Out and Youth Sing Out Awards finalists. Winners will be named on Thursday, April 3, at an awards ceremony at the Tri-C Cuyahoga Community College Eastern Campus, Simon and Rose Mandel Theatre at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center. The community is invited to attend this free event. Seating is limited and advanced registration is required at: maltzmuseum.org/events/17th-annual-stop-the-hate-awards-ceremony/
This year, 4,419 students at more than 160 Northeast Ohio schools participated in the Stop the Hate contest and workshops, writing individual essays, poems, or group songs for a chance to win academic scholarships, educational grants, and prizes for themselves and their schools.
Stop the Hate, the Maltz Museum’s signature educational program, serves Northeast Ohio students and school communities by encouraging personal storytelling that builds bridges and creates empathy. Through this program, students gain awareness of hate-related issues, discrimination, bullying, etc., while being inspired to courageously create positive change when facing these challenges. The program celebrates Northeast Ohio students committed to creating a more accepting and inclusive society.
Through the generosity of Milton and Tamar Maltz, the Maltz Museum’s Stop the Hate contest annually awards $100,000 to Northeast Ohio middle and high school students, teachers, and schools who are committed to create a more accepting and inclusive society.
The presenting sponsors are The Semi J. and Ruth W. Begun Foundation and Maltz Family Foundation; as well as signature sponsors: Chelm Family Foundation, Cleveland Cavaliers, Tri-C Cuyahoga Community College, Dealer Tire, Enbridge Gas Ohio, The Harry K. and Emma Fox Charitable Foundation, John and Peggy Garson Family Foundation, Louise H. and David S. Ingalls Foundation, The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, David and Inez Myers Foundation, Nordson Corporation Foundation, Robert H. Reakirt Foundation, and Helen F. Stolier and Louis Stolier Family Foundation.
Since Stop the Hate began, over 50,000 students in 15 counties across Northeast Ohio have participated, and $1.7 million has been awarded to students and schools.
Here is a list of the awards that would go to the winners, how the judging takes places and the 2025 Stop the Hate Contest Student Finalists:
Youth Speak Out — Essay Finalists
Although every participating student will receive a congratulatory Upstander Certificate, and all participating workshop schools will share an award, the big awards will go to the essay finalists vying for scholarships, educational grants and prizes up to $20,000.
Finalist Selection: Youth Speak Out Essay Judges
- Jessica Daigler, Director of LeadDIVERSITY, The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio
- Eduardo Kim, Partner, Thompson Hine LLP
- Lisa Kollins, Executive Director, The Superhero Project
- John Panza, Associate Professor, English, Honors Coordinator, Tri-C Cuyahoga Community College, Eastern Campus
- Michele Pomerantz, Chief of Education, Office of the Mayor, The City of Cleveland
New for 2025: Live Judging of Top Three Essays
This year’s Stop the Hate Youth Speak Out essay contest top three winners will be selected by a distinguished panel of judges live at the awards program.
Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D., President, Tri-C Cuyahoga Community College
Alexandra Wainwright, Stop the Hate ’16, Associate, Jones Day
Surprise Executive from partners at the Cleveland Cavaliers
Awards for Grades 11 & 12
- Grand Scholarship Winner: $20,000 scholarship + $5,000 anti-bias education grant for their school
- 1st Runner-Up: $10,000 scholarship + $2,000 anti-bias education grant for their school
- 2nd Runner-Up: $5,000 scholarship + $2,000 anti-bias education grant for their school
- (7) Honorable Mentions: $1,000 cash prize + $500 anti-bias education grant for their school
Grade 12 Finalists
Will Colafella, Hudson High School
Angela Freeman, St. Vincent-St. Mary High School
Mackenzie Lane Frost, Aurora High School
Manisha K. Girn, Aurora High School
Rania Rafiq, Aurora High School
Tori Smith, Magnificat High School
Lamaree DeShae White, Rhodes School of Environmental Studies
Grade 11 Finalists
Sana Hameed, North Royalton High School
Amelia Kilway, Aurora High School
Nandita Srikumar, Solon High School
Awards for Grades 6 – 10
- 1st Place winners in each grade receive a $400 cash prize.
- Runners-Up in each grade receive a $100 cash prize.
Grade 10 Finalists
Jashmina Bista, Cleveland School of Science and Medicine
Addison Captain, Shaker Heights High School
Grade 9 Finalists
Rebecca Chelbezan, Kenston High School
Lyla Levin, Laurel School
Grade 8 Finalists
Abby Gourley, Beachwood Middle School
Sophia Tsuang, Laurel School
Grade 7 Finalists
Asha R. Bauer, Hathaway Brown
Farai Amanda Chiunda, Beachwood Middle School
Grade 6 Finalists
Adeline Chalker, Harding Middle School
Mia Schilkowski, Hudson Middle School
Youth Speak Out – Poetry Finalists
Awards for High School Poetry
- 1st Place Winner: $2,500 cash prize + $2,000 grant for their school
- 2nd Place Winner: $1,500 case prize + $1,000 grant for their school
- 3rd Place Winner: $1,000 case prize + $1,000 grant for their school.
- (3) Honorable Mentions: $600 cash prize
Finalist Selection: Youth Speak Out Poetry Judges
- DaQuala Hunt, Author, Poet, Spoken Word Artist
- Ygal Kaufman, Multiple Media Journalist, Ideastream Public Media
- Sergio Roper, Poet, Teaching Artist, Wick Poetry Center, Kent State University
- Michelle Smith, Programming Director, Literary Cleveland
- Rachel Zake Ozan, Writer/Director/Actor
High School Finalists
Rebecca Ester, Grade 11, Glenville High School
Teresa Gladish, Grade 11, Twinsburg High School
Roman Hoyle-Smith, Grade 10, Oberlin High School
Cara Miller, Grade 10, Garfield Heights High School
Martha Louise Röseler, Grade 10, Kirtland High School
Nicholas Stalnaker, Grade 10, Oberlin High School
Awards for Middle School Poetry
- 1st Place Winner: $400 cash prize
- 2nd Place Winner: $300 cash prize
- 3rd Place Winner: $200 cash prize
- (3) Honorable Mentions: $100 cash prize.
Middle School Finalists
Zoey Bloom, Grade 6, North Ridgeville Academic Center
Ella Bogniard, Grade 6, Hudson Middle School
Elliot Gionfriddo, Grade 6, North Ridgeville Academic Center
Madelyn Kimberly, Grade 7, North Ridgeville Academic Center
Miina Tabata, Grade 8, Hudson Middle School
Lam Tran, Grade 8, Hudson Middle School
Youth Sing Out– Songwriting Winners
Winners in middle and high school categories receive:
- 1st place in both categories receives a $3,500 anti-bias education grant for their school.
- 2nd runner-up in both categories receives a $2,000 anti-bias education grant for their school.
Finalist Selection: Youth Sing Out Judges
- Kathryn Clusman, Director of Education and Community Engagement, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
- Edward P. Gallagher, Vice President for Education, The Beck Center for the Arts
- Jeff Niesel, Music Editor, Cleveland Scene
- Treva Offutt, Director of Education, Playhouse Square
- Jason Weiner, Philanthropic Advisor, Cleveland Foundation
High School Winners
Collinwood High School, First Place High School, “Everyone is Equal”
Shaw High School, Runner-Up High School, “Weak People with Power”
Middle School Winners
Milkovich Middle School, First Place Middle School, “Stop the Violence”
Harding Middle School, Runner-Up Middle School, “Listen to our Words”
Anti-Bias Community Grants
Educators in Northeast Ohio dedicated to fostering inclusive learning environments within their classrooms and communities were eligible to apply for one of three $6,000 Stop the Hate Anti-Bias Community grants. This year, these grants funded educational experiences that promote unity, understanding, and commitment to stopping hate for both students and educators.
Congratulations to our three grantees:
- Incarnate Word Academy
- Urban Community School
- Windham Jr. Sr. High School
