Wareham fifth grader wins Freedom of Expression Essay Contest

May 29, 2020

Mariah Pillsbury, an 11-year-old from Wareham who goes to the  St. Francis Xavier Preparatory School in Hyannis, is the winner of the 2020 Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Freedom of Expression essay contest.

Open to fifth graders in all Cape Cod schools, the competition honors the contributions of Revolutionary-era poet and historian Mercy Otis Warren. Born in West Barnstable, she was among the strongest advocates for inclusion of a Bill of Rights in the Constitution.

“Mercy Otis Warren inspires me to be strong and to become more brave,” Mariah wrote in her essay. “This also inspires me to never give up on what I believe.”

Mariah lives in Wareham with her mother and father and brother John. Her brother Joseph is serving in the U.S. Navy. Her favorite subject is Geography, and she plans on playing volleyball next year.

She will be invited to read her essay at the presentation ceremony for this year’s Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year, which has been delayed until fall. The nomination deadline for the Woman of the Year award has been extended to Flag Day, June 14; electronic and downloadable forms (send the latter to PO Box 23, Cummaquid, MA 02637) are available at https://www.barnstablecounty.org/affiliated-organizations/mercy-otis-warren-woman-year/