Cedar Falls student wins top prize of one year of free tuition at the University of Iowa; runners up from Ankeny, Dyersville, and Iowa City win scholarships
The Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature organization has completed judging for this year’s Glory of the Senses: Paul Engle Essay Contest and will award scholarships to four high school students from across Iowa. The contest is open to Iowa high school sophomores and juniors.
The winning essay was “Streaking Across Summer Skies,” by Ahan Tandon, who is a junior at Cedar Falls High School. In recognition of the essay, Ahan will receive one year of free tuition to the University of Iowa, offered in partnership with the UI.
The essays were judged by a team from ACT in Iowa City. Commenting on Ahan’s essay, the judges said the piece celebrates the beauty of the Perseids and the resilience of cicadas, connecting them to family and a journey of migration.
“The memory is centered around a night of stargazing that weaves lineage and myth with the present-day, highlighting the importance of family and strength across space and time (from Persia to Iowa, to the Andromeda Galaxy, or from seasons, to years, to generations, to civilizations, and eons of evolution),” they wrote. “We see the admiration and love for his grandfather and the current events creating obstacles to seeing him. The writer masterfully combines scientific content with personal reflection, using rich imagery to engage the reader’s emotions and deepen the essay’s impact.”
The contest is based on the writings of Paul Engle – the long-time director of the University of Iowa’s Writers’ Workshop and co-founder of the UI’s International Writing Program – particularly his memoir, A Lucky American Childhood. Students are asked to write about an Iowa experience, paying “special attention to include details that evoke the sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch of your memory.”
Three runners up from around the state will receive $500 cash scholarships from the City of Literature. The runners up are:
- Loren Barjis, Iowa City West High School
- Aubrey Brunsman, Beckman Catholic, Dyersville
- Keira Mueller, Ankeny Centennial High School
The contest has been designed to recognize sophomores and juniors from each of Iowa’s nine Area Education Agencies, which cover the state. Due to a lack of submissions, not all AEAs were represented.
Information about the 2027 contest is now available. Please visit the City of Literature website at www.iowacityofliterature.org/paul-engle-day for more information. The deadline is May 1, 2027.
