Lakeside Bank believes in the power of education. So, in 2018 we created “Write On!”, a creative writing challenge for Chicago Public High School seniors. Winners were awarded $2,500 Lakeside College Scholarships! You can read the winning stories year-by-year to the left.
In 2024, Chat GPT and AI programs made it clear we needed to change our scholarship program! 2024 was the last year of our creative writing challenge.
Effective 2025, we evolved the challenge to, “Right On!” and focused on social service. Specifically, what have our senior applicants done to help their community? How did they chose their particular service? How many hours did they put in during the school year? How did this service change them?
Following written submissions, our Right On! Lakeside review committee selected the leading contenders, who we then interviewed via Zoom to get an even better sense of their commitment, motivation, and impact.
2025 winners are now being chosen! $2,500 Lakeside College Scholarships are about to be awarded!
Check back soon to learn who won! And why!
Education
2024 Winners
2024 is our 7th Year of the Lakeside Bank "Write On!" Creative Writing Challenge. Congratulations to Amaru Torres-Linares (Lindblom Math & Science Academy; University of IL- Urbana) and Guadalupe Miranda (Devry University Advantage Academy; Stanford) who won the coveted scholarships this year. Meet our 2024 winners in the video below.
Education
2023 Winners
2023 is our Sixth year of the Lakeside Bank “Write On!” Creative Writing Challenge. Graduating Chicago Public High School seniors with financial need compete for $2,500 Lakeside College Scholarships! We’re very proud of our winners! They’re imaginative and moving writers. And we’re very pleased to be of help as they launch their college careers. Meet our 2023 CPS Creative Writing Challenge Winners! Enjoy the video below.
Moriah Mesa
Congratulations to Moriah Mesa, our first college scholarship winner in the 6th Annual Lakeside Bank “Write On!” Creative Writing Challenge! That's right! Moriah is one of two winners in our city-wide Chicago Public High School contest for graduating seniors. Each winner receives a $2,500 award, delivered “Publisher Clearing House” style! During her Sunday Church service, we surprised Moriah with a giant check and balloons. The congregation was thrilled for her, and so were we! WRITE ON, Moriah!
Antrell Smith
Congratulations to Antrell Smith, graduate of Chicago Military High School, and our second college scholarship winner in the 6th Annual Lakeside Bank "Write On!" Creative Writing Challenge! Antrell won a $2,500 college scholarship that was surprise delivered "Publisher Clearing House" style to him during a recent appointment that we coordinated with his mom. Antrell plans to study Marketing/Business at Northern Illinois University this Fall. We wish you continued success in all of your future endeavors Antrell!
Education
2021 Winners
Congratulations to the Lakeside Bank 4th Annual "Write On!" Creative Writing Scholarship Winners!
Following a city-wide contest, two Chicago Public High School seniors were selected as the 2021 Lakeside Bank "Write On!" Creative Writing Challenge Scholarship Winners!
Each receives a $2,500 award. Winners were surprised at their homes and presented with giant checks and helium balloons, “Publisher Clearing House” style! Tears and cheers (and hugs! We can hug again!) were exchanged between winners and their families as they celebrated. Congrats, Jordan & Rosabella! We’ve provided a summary of their stories below. And a brief video of each presentation.
The Lakeside Bank 2021 Scholarship Winners are:
Jordan Allen - Kenwood High School
Rosabella Hernandez – Brooks High School
Jordan Allen – Kenwood High School
Congratulations to Jordan Allen!
Fantastic work, Jordan! She’s a Winner of this year’s Lakeside Bank "Write On!" Creative Writing Challenge. Jordan was awarded a $2,500 Lakeside Scholarship toward her first year at either Columbia College or Northern Illinois, where she plans to study animation, illustration, and writing. Jordan, a recent graduate of Kenwood High School, wrote a very inspiring and charismatic story that moved us all.
Her story outlines the difficult life of a young, dark-skinned, African American girl who struggled to fit in and feel accepted. On top of dealing with her sloppy, alcoholic father at home, she is forced to hear unwanted comments about her color from all her lighter-skinned classmates at school. After sitting next to an elderly woman on the bus who was completely mesmerized by the beauty of a stray black cat, the young girl was inspired to realize her dark skin was beautiful and to take no more from her classmates. The black cat’s symbolism uncovered by the older woman, motivated the young girl to gain confidence and find happiness within herself. Jordan has demonstrated her talent to write, and we look forward to seeing her succeed in the future!
Pictured: Jordan Allen and her mother
Rosabella Hernandez – Brooks High School
Congratulations to Rosabella Hernandez!
Well done, Rosabella! She’s a Winner of this year’s Lakeside Bank "Write On!" Creative Writing Challenge. Rosabella was awarded a $2,500 Lakeside Scholarship toward her first year at Antioch College in Ohio, where she plans to study art history. Rosabella, a recent graduate of Brooks High School, wrote an imaginative and engaging story that kept us all on our toes!
Her story was about a fictional family mystery: The disappearance of the writer’s great-grandfather. The writer’s grandmother refused to talk about her father, yet she kept a framed picture of him in a red flannel shirt. The grandmother would stare for hours at a tree outside the family home, telling the writer how the many dark knots on the tree symbolized a tortured soul captured within. Years later, when the grandmother passed away, the writer moved into the family home and had the old tree torn down. Only to find pieces of red flannel… Rosabella has proven her great writing skills and we look forward to seeing her thrive in the future!
Pictured: Rosabella Hernandez
Pictured: Erica Chianelli and Alan Rose
Lakeside’s annual "Write On!" Creative Writing Challenge is open to:
Current CPS High School Seniors, graduating this June in good standing.
Students accepted to an accredited two-or-four-year college or university.
Those with financial need as demonstrated by the FAFSA Expected Family Contribution.
Lakeside Bank believes in the power of education. “It is the single most important tool we have to effect meaningful social change” says Alan Rose, Lakeside’s Sr. VP, Chief Marketing Officer. "Write On!" is one of Lakeside Bank’s multiple education programs.
Lakeside Bank is a privately owned, 55-year-old Chicago area bank with $2.4 billion dollars in assets.
Education
2020 Winners
Now in its third year, the ‘Write On!’ Lakeside Creative Writing Challenge is open to graduating Chicago Public High School seniors with financial need. Despite the unprecedented times due to COVID-19 and the uncertainty for college in the Fall, we received submissions from all over the City.
Winner Diana Salinas from Senn High School will attend Wellesley College in Massachusetts this fall.
Winner Lori Watson, a Lindbloom High School grad, heads to Dominican University in California.
Because school buildings were closed, we worked with school administrators and parents to surprise the winners at their homes with giant checks and helium balloons, “Publisher Clearing House” style! Congrats, Diana & Lori!
Education
2022 Winners
2022 is our FIFTH year of the Lakeside Bank “Write On!” Creative Writing Challenge. Graduating Chicago Public High School seniors with financial need compete for $2,500 Lakeside College Scholarships! We’re very proud of our winners! They’re imaginative and moving writers. And we’re very pleased to be of help as they launch their college careers. Meet our 2022 CPS Creative Writing Challenge Winners! Enjoy the videos below.
Bernadette Schwegel
Maria Suciu
Alyssa Coleman
Education
2019 Winners - 2nd Annual
Congratulations to the Lakeside Bank 2nd Annual “Write On!” Creative Writing Scholarship Winners!
Following a city-wide contest with more than FOUR TIMES the number of entries as last year, three Chicago Public High School seniors were selected as 2019 Lakeside Bank Creative Writing Challenge Scholarship Winners! Each winner receives a $2,500 Lakeside College Scholarship Award.
The Lakeside Bank 2019 Scholarship Winners are:
Mateo Bajana – Whitney Young High School
Daron James – Charles Schurz High School
Jasmine Martin – Whitney Young High School
Education
2018 Winners - Inaugural
Lakeside sponsored its first Creative Writing Contest to award CPS High School students $2,500 scholarships for college. Applicants had to submit an original essay, 750-1000 words, incorporating Lakeside’s tagline “It’s About Time.” We were THRILLED to receive 41 applications, and awarded three deserving students $2,500 scholarships for tuition for college this Fall. Alan Rose, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, and Erica Chianelli, Marketing & Special Events Consultant, were able to surprise each of the winners at school in a special check presentation. Congratulations to our winners (Left to Right below): Dinaluz Torres, Lane Tech High School, Nia Mitchell, Kenwood High School, and Olyvea Momah, Senn High School.
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