It was a humid September morning in Philadelphia in 2008, I was about to enter Abraham Lincoln High School through the lunchroom doors and finalize my re-enrollment into high school. Each face that I glanced at evoked as much familiarityas an individual blade of grass; I was completely lost . . .I was sixteen years old, with fractions of a credit, two years behind everyone else my age. My decision to go back to school seemed like another mistake.

- Karl Scheel, 19, Abraham Lincoln High School, Philadelphia, PA

PROVIDENCE, RI—We spend much of our time as students trying to get things right—avoiding mistakes as if they turn us into losers. But mistakes can also prove useful and even shape our lives in positive ways. "Embracing Mistakes" was the theme for the 2011 WKCD Graduation Speech Contest, because we wanted to hear from students—whether a senior or a freshman—about the good side of getting things wrong. (The writer did not need to be an actual graduate.)

We offered some questions to get the creative juices flowing:

-- What new paths in life or learning have you discovered by mistake?
-- Has taking the risk of being wrong ever released your imagination or your intelligence?
-- How might making mistakes actually change your world for the better?
-- Should schools teach students how to "get it wrong" and not just "get it right"?

We received over 300 essays, from students from all over the country and in grades 7-12. Here we present the six essays that most caught our fancy and five runners-up. Winners receive a $100 gift certificate at a bookstore. We have combined all eleven into a downloadable PDF.

To all those students who entered the contest, we salute you for your ideas and effort! Your essays pushed us to think harder about the mistakes we all make—part of being human as so many of you pointed out—and the lessons they teach.

2011 WKCD GRAD SPEECH CONTEST WINNERS

Click on a name to read the student’s essay

Johnnay Bradford, 17, Abraham Lincoln High School, Philadelphia, PA
Grissel Castellanos, 18, Central Union High School, El Centro, CA
Torrey Riley, 14, Dillard University Upward Bound, New Orleans, LA
Karl Scheel, 19, Abraham Lincoln High School, Philadelphia, PA
Josephine Strecker, 12, North Kirkwood Middle School, Kirkwood, MO
Cary Tieng, 17, Road to Success Academy, Santa Clarita, CA

2011 WKCD GRAD SPEECH CONTEST RUNNERS-UP

Peter Hardin, 12, North Kirkwood Middle School, Kirkwood, MO
Kayla Renee Krigger, 13, J. Graham Brown School, Louisville, KY
Claire Mullen, 14, North Kirkwood Middle School, Kirkwood, MO
Madeline Varner, 16, Metro High School, Columbus, OH
Brandon George Washington, 16, Suitland High School, Forestville, MD

Click here to download a PDF of all eleven essays.