A North Penn senior won the first-round, $1,000 scholarship.
Fideri News Network is pleased to announce the first winners of its essay scholarship contest, commemorating our nation’s semiquincentennial anniversary.
The competition began in February and runs through June 2026, giving high school seniors from the region an opportunity to earn a $1,000 scholarship and to have their essay published across the Fideri News Network media.
Each month has a different prompt, and the February essay was based on this questions:
Explain why the media has been labeled the fourth branch of government. Is this an accurate portrayal?
The submissions were evaluated by the Fideri News Network team using a specific scoring rubric.
The winner of the February scholarship is Brianna Miller, a senior from North Penn High School located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
"Thank you so much for the scholarship,” said Brianna in response to the news of winning first place. “I am extremely grateful and excited to use it to pursue higher education in political science and law. Special thanks to my AP Government teacher, the GOAT, Mr. Homan."
All of us at Fideri congratulate Brianna on her outstanding submission. The first paragraph of her essay follows, and the full submission is online here.
“The three branches of government, as clearly outlined within the US Constitution, are judicial, executive, and legislative. Each of them are inherently separate from one another to protect against corruption and concentration of power. These branches are each given divided authority within Articles I, II, and III to ensure that no single branch dominates the others. In Federalist 51, James Madison explains ‘Ambition must be made to counteract ambition,’ which is why the framers of the Constitution created a system of checks and balances. This system is designed to protect the liberties of the American people. However, over time, there has been an emergence of power outside of those outlined, which is now being labeled as the “fourth branch of government”; the media. Although the media is not formally outlined within the Constitution as a formal branch of government, its influence on public opinion and political accountability has led many to view it as functioning alongside those recognized by the framers.”
Coming in a close second place is Gabriela Roman, a senior from Bishop Shanahan High School in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
"Writing this essay gave me the opportunity to think more deeply about the topic, and I’m grateful that others will now be able to read and engage with it,” said Gabriela in response to earning second place. “I appreciate the opportunity to participate in the contest and look forward to submitting again in the future."
Fideri News Network congratulates Gabriela on her excellent submission. The first paragraph of her essay follows, and the full submission is on our site here.
“The media is often referred to as the ‘fourth branch’ of government because it plays an extremely crucial role in checking the power of the other three branches, by keeping the public in the loop and aware of all things going on and changing. Famous author and world known speaker Erik Qualman once said ‘social media is not a fad, it's a fundamental shift in the way we communicate.’ This being entirely true, social media and the way it is changing our lives cannot be ignored rather embraced and encouraged.”
Gabriela Roman, second-place winner, from Bishop Shanahan High School (Image courtesy of Gabriela Roman)Coming in third place is Madlen Potrusilova, a senior also from North Penn High School.
“The real reward of writing is knowing your words reached someone,” said Madlen in response to winning third place. “What a privilege it is to be heard. Thank you, Fideri News!”
Fideri News Network congratulates Madlen on her exceptional submission. The first paragraph of her essay follows, and the full submission is also on our site here.
“A democracy does not fall when people disagree. It falls when people are silenced. Long before TV or social media, America’s Founding Fathers understood this truth. On June 8, 1789, James Madison stood before Congress and proposed what would later become the Bill of Rights: ten amendments to the Constitution that testified to the core values of America: freedom, democracy, and independence. Although all ten changes were important, one had to come first, and one surely did.”
Madlen Potrusilova, third-place winner, from North Penn High School (Image courtesy of the Madlen Potrusilova)Fideri News Network congratulates all of our winners and those who submitted essays. Seniors across the region are encouraged to participate in the monthly competition. Entries are due by the 15th of April, May, and June. Each month has a unique question for the essay deadline. For more information, visit the Fideri News Network America 250 page.
