2026 First in the Family student essay winners

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is proud to announce the 11 top winners and nine honorable mentions of the 2026 David Hudak Memorial First in the Family Student Essay Competition.

FFRF has paid out a total of $18,150 in award money for the contest this year.

Students who will be first in their family to attend either a two- or four-year college or university and who are ages 17–21 were asked to write on the topic of “Why white supremacy goes hand in hand with Christian nationalism.”

Winners, their ages, the colleges or universities they are attending and the award amounts are listed below. (FFRF seeks to distribute essay scholarship monies to a higher number of students, so ties are not regarded in the typical tie fashion.)

FIRST PLACE

Nyla Woods, 21, University of Kansas, $3,500.

SECOND PLACE

Isaiah Lopez Ruiz, 21, Paradise Valley Community College, $3,000.

THIRD PLACE

Anastasia Gonzalez, 19, Harvard University, $2,500.

FOURTH PLACE

Angelle Jean-Pierre, 18, Howard University, $2,000.

FIFTH PLACE

Antonio Drain, 18, University of Central Oklahoma, $1,500.

SIXTH PLACE

Carina Reyes-Ortiz, 18, West Chester University, $1,000.

SEVENTH PLACE

Cha’Miah Phoenix, 19, UCLA, $750.

EIGHTH PLACE

Yusef Houssein, 19, Saint Joseph University, $500.

NINTH PLACE (tie)

Jayda Gaither, 18, East Carolina University, $400.

Samani Ismail, 18, University of Berkeley, $400.

TENTH PLACE

Laila Coutou, 20, New York University, $300.

HONORABLE MENTION ($200 each)

Mariana Catalan, 18, University of Houston

Christine Cowing, 18, Montana State University – Billings

Brooklyn Dosen, 21, Cochise College

Cash Guello, 18, University of North Georgia

Gabrielle Horsley, 18, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

Jackson Manis, 18, University of Texas

Iman Merchent, 17, University of Texas

Kira Saintvil, 18, Rochester Institute of Technology

Kason Steward, 18, Sacramento State University

FFRF thanks Lisa Treu for managing the details of this (and FFRF’s other essay competitions).

FFRF would also like to thank our volunteer and staff readers and judges, including: Don Ardell, Dan Barker, David Chivers, Wrenna Fine, Jon Galehouse, Annie Laurie Gaylor, Ricki Grunberg, Susan Haines, Linda Josheff, Kevin Kirby, Jeffrey LaVicka, Sammi Lawrence, Robert Leonhard, Tom Ludwinski, Katya Maes, David Malcolm, Tori Mizerak, Jason Mosebach, Henry Mongrain, Chris O’Connell, Andrea Osburne, Brooks Rimes, Kathy Rogers, Rose Mary Sheldon, PJ Slinger, Michelle Smith and Matthew Woodruff.

This contest is named for the late David Hudak, an FFRF member who left a bequest to generously fund a student essay contest.

FFRF has offered essay competitions to students of color (now first in the family to attend college) since 2016. It has also offered essay contests open to all college students since 1979, high school seniors since 1994, grad students since 2010 and one for law students since 2019.