Roslyn High School sophomore Anna Recicka has been awarded second place in the Northwestern Undergraduate Law Journal’s annual high school essay contest.
The Northwestern Undergraduate Law Journal’s High School Essay Contest invites high school students to explore pressing legal issues by crafting a scholarly essay on an annual prompt set by the Journal. This marks the fifth consecutive year of the contest.
The competition challenged students nationwide to weigh in on whether the U.S. government should regulate the spread of disinformation on social media, and what legal precedent or constitutional limitations should guide the regulations.
In her winning essay, Anna argued that rather than attempting to eliminate disinformation, something that has existed throughout history, the government should instead focus on decreasing its spread by promoting critical thinking. She cited Finland’s approach as a model, which includes teaching fake news recognition in schools.
Finland combats fake news primarily through education, emphasizing media literacy and critical thinking skills starting in primary school. Its national curriculum teaches students how to evaluate sources, identify bias, and understand digital influence.
Rather than relying on censorship, Finland builds societal resilience by training teachers, fostering trust in public institutions, and encouraging transparency in government communication. The country also involves civil society by providing fact-checking resources and support. Finland is now one of the most media-literate and misinformation-resilient countries in the world.
“I’m so proud of Anna for taking the initiative of entering the contest,” said Allyson Weseley, research coordinator for Roslyn High School. “She wrote an exceptionally well-researched and reasoned essay and her accomplishment highlights not only her strong writing and analytical skills, but also the spirit of intellectual engagement fostered at Roslyn High School.”
