The American Prospect has always been interested in nurturing a new generation of journalists and political thinkers. This year, in conjunction with the Omidyar Network, we ran a high school essay contest, asking students to read one of four books — Matthew Desmond’s Evicted, Barbara Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed, Isabel Wilkerson’s The Warmth of Other Suns, or Robert Reich’s Saving Capitalism — and reflect upon the need for economic and racial justice in America. Out of all the entries from around the world, we chose winners for the Freshman-Sophomore and Junior-Senior categories, along with honorable mentions.

This contest is a partnership between The American Prospect and Omidyar Network. With its Reimagining Capitalism project, Omidyar Network is working to address the structural challenges at the heart of our economic system, and to shape a new, inclusive economy where markets serve the interests of all people and society. To learn more, visit omidyar.com and follow on Twitter, @omidyarnetwork.