This I Believe Illinois
Weekdays at 7:45 a.m., 4:45 p.m., annually each February
This I Believe Illinois is our annual essay program for Illinois high school seniors. An expression of where their minds are as they prepare to enter the adult world.
Starting as a five minute radio program hosted by Edward R. Murrow in 1951, This I Believe gave contributors the chance to write a short essay articulating what they believe. Since then, the idea has been adopted by NPR Illinois.
2021 is the 15th class to share what they believe with NPR Illinois!
Writing Guidelines
Deadlines and Dates
The State Journal-Register supports this effort by printing the selected essays in the newspaper.
NPR Illinois airs the essays in their authors' voices and the audio is streamed below. In 2007, the Rotary Club of Springfield Sunrise, partnered with NPR Illinois to sponsor This I Believe Illinois.
Selected Authors
2020
- Jatin Dhamrait - Springfield High School - Chalk
- Kylee Kazenski – North Mac High School – I Believe in Passing the Ball
- Kenya Apongule - Southeast High School - My Black is Beautiful
- Ethan Whelpley - Glenwood High School - Chemistry Lessons
- Jeramey Spann - North Mac High School - Superheroes
- Truman Poteat - North Mac High School - I Believe in Big Ideas
- Luke Siebers - Quincy Notre Dame High School - Honesty is the Best Policy
- Grace Beyers - Southeast High School - I Believe in a Royal Flush
- Joe Tisckos - Southeast High School - False Boundaries
- Ashanti Hatchett - Lanphier High School - Unconventional Beauty
2019
- Abby Smith - Meridian High School - One Wish
- Jessica Markley - New Berlin High School - The Numbers that Define Me
- Summer Jett- Southeast High School - Peel Off Labels
- Kenzie Prindle - Riverton High School - The Power of Empathy
- Marissa Provenzale - Prospect High School - "Tough Like Bull"
- Camila Garcia - Beardstown High School - A Team of Triumph and Solace
- Lydia Davidsmeier - Beardstown High School - The Essence of Playing Outside
- Ally Elzy - Sullivan High School - The Problem With Statistics
- Emma Gries - Prospect High School - I Believe in Dr. Seuss
- Damon Burdell - Litchfield High School - Numb Sprint
2018
- Shruthi Mekala - Hillsboro High School - The Misconception of Carpe Diem
- Trista Lawson - Southeast High School - Home Is Abstract
- Kelly Kincaid - Southeast High School - Pens and Paper
- Blessing Casey - Lanphier High School - Where Is Home?
- Philippa Harris-Patel - Southeast High School - The Cathartic Power Of Crying
- Eli Ten Eyck - Pittsfield High School - Sometimes You Gotta Lose the Shoe
- Kiana Porter - Lanphier High School - A Not So Little Thing Called Forgiveness
- Katie Webb - Sullivan High School - Truth Will Set Me Free
- Joel Cook - Pittsfield High School - I Believe We Should All Live Like A Family Farmer
- Daniel Rocha - Louisiana High School - The Power Of Televison
2017
- Anthony Guo - Tuscola HS - The American Dream
- Katelyn Watts - Louisiana HS - I Believe In Being Fluffy And Fabulous
- N'Dea Walls - Lanphier HS - Ripping The Band-Aid Off
- Hunter Campbell - Hillsboro HS - That Kid
- Madelyn Powell - Hillsboro HS - Insane Sanity
- Juliana Fray - Pittsfield HS - The Milky Way Theory
- Matthew Hill - Springfield HS - I Believe Superheroes Are Real
- Corey Ratsch - Rochester HS - Trans-cendent
- Sophia Ashebir - Springfield HS - I Believe I AM More Than A Number
- Annie Sherrick - Springfield HS - The Art Of Tree Hugging
2016
- Alexa Brown - Southeast HS - I Believe in Melanin
- Jordan Lott - Pawnee HS - My Personal Veggie Tale
- Kanicia Green - Lanphier HS - Selfies
- Hannah Mobley - Lanphier HS - Collecting Bottles
- Janie Sutherd - Lanphier HS - Dogs Can Learn New Trick, And Teach Them Too
- Noah Schlosser - Springfield HS - Life Needs More Cowbell
- Olivia Moore - Riverton HS - Laugh A Little
- Isra Hasnain - Maroa-Forsyth HS - Don't Fear The Front Row
- Matt Brown - Lanphier HS - (Partially) Black Comedy
2015
- Aron Suszko - Springfield HS - The Power of Trying
- Kaytlin Jacoby - Taylorville HS - Size Matters
- Jillian Cole - Springfield HS - In Deadlines
- Larissa Mulch - Southeast HS - In Confusion
- Brett Palmer - Lanphier HS - Pickled Hysteria
- Tess Peterson - Springfield HS - Travel and Learning Cultures Brings Us Together
- Kanisha Granderson - Lanphier HS - Unique Flavors
- Jacob Pearson - Rochester HS - In the Piano
- Shelton Cottle - Beardstown HS - A Universal Language
- Maggie Lenkart - Southeast HS - A Daily Realization
2014
- Katherine Bowman - Southeast HS - The Real Me
- Alex Brosseau - Southeast HS - Snow Cones
- Stephanie Dunn - Lanphier HS - Independence Creates Happiness
- Gabrielle Gardner - Southeast HS - Sneetches
- Kelsey Hubble - Southeast HS - The Most Powerful Element
- Pauline Kersjes - Springfield HS - Great Sacrifices Give Great Rewards
- Gabe Knott - Jacksonville HS - Gay Forever, Hell Never
- Mason Lott - Pawnee HS - A Squirrely Story
- Amelia Paries - Lanphier HS - 26 Letters
- Abagail Perrero - Southeast HS - In Dirt
2013
- Samantha Comerford - Rochester HS - Kindness
- Elaina Conley-Keck - Springfield HS - Sharing Meals
- Renee DeFrees - Lanphier HS - Tough Times in Life Teach You How Strong You Really Are
- Elisabeth Dunn - Sangamon Valley HS - The Girl Detective and Me
- Vlada Gudzenko - Springfield HS - Hallmarks
- Natalie Knox - Springfield HS - Speak Up for What Your Believe In
- Kristen Koch - Jacksonville HS - Pickle Dog
- Jacob Roth - Jacksonville HS - Wetsuits
- Callista Suarez - Southeast HS - Leaping into Action
- Aaron Vasquez - Being the Little Big Brother
2012
- Joshua Cleaver - Southeast HS - I Am History
- Maggie Cornelius - Springfield HS - "Wakaru" - To Understand
- Travis Lascody - Lanphier HS - Dreadlocks
- Mackenzie McDermott - Springfield HS - Anything Boys Can Do
- Mariah Pattie - Springfield HS - Create Your Future
- Ally M Perko - Springfield HS - On the Death of My Father
- Olivia Rosen - Springfield HS - The Trouble with "Troubled"
- Amena Tayyab - Springfield HS - Always an American
- Teresa Tran - Southeast HS - Stroke Me a Key or Two
- Derinn Wallace - Glenwood HS - Born This Way
2011
- Luke Buscher - Southeast HS - The Fear of Ourselves
- Molly Ducker - Springfield HS - Breaking Barriers
- Kim King - Kincaid HS - A Question of Faith
- Hannah Kolkmeier - Springfield HS - Question Everything
- Virginia Moore - Springfield HS - More Moores
- Rachel Pasko - Southeaset HS - True Love Takes Effort
- Callie Smith - Springfield HS - I Believe in Beatlemania
- Bennett Stephens - Springfield HS - Normalcy
- Farah Tamizuddin - Springfield HS - Making Waves
- Claire Watson - Riverton HS - Reading Aloud
2010
- Justin Castelli - Lovington HS - No Regrets
- Morgan Clark - Astoria HS - Understanding One Another
- Maddie Fetter - Springfield HS - But Mostly Hearts
- Joc French - Lovington HS - Living with "CP"
- Carolyn McMenamin - Springfield HS - Written Sentiments
- Cameron Rader - Lovington HS - We Are Our Own Worst Critics
- Elly Schoenburg - Springfield HS - Community
- Daniel Schultz - Astoria HS - Freedom From The Past
- Alissa Yoder - Lovington HS - Moving Forward
2009
- Hannah Alzugaray - Lanphier HS - A Smile Can Save a Life
- Anthony Cohen - Southeast HS - I Believe in Childhood
- Meyasha Clemons - Lanphier HS - Strength
- Ryan Cookson - Lanphier HS - Creating Your Own Unique Path
- Elly Gates - Springfield HS - Books
- Jarrod Hill - Southeast HS - Jazz
- Caitlin Kienzler - Southeast HS - Beauty is Found in Unexpected Places
- Angie Martin - Southeast HS - Miracles
- Dylan Sanders - Lanphier HS - Second Chances
- Nick Zyznieuski - Springfield HS - The Environment
2008
- Claudio Borges-Neto - Springfield HS - Math
- Alfred Brown - Lanphier HS - An Unlikely Hero
- Julia Christensen - Springfield HS - A Caterpillar Named Bob
- Melanie Cornell - Springfield HS - Best Buddies
- Sasha Elmore - Lanphier HS - The Power of Forgiveness
- Samira Hussein - Springfield HS - The Therapeutic Value of Laughter
- Elizabeth Ketchum - Springfield HS - The Power of Women
- Sharon Kim - Springfield HS - Embracing My Culture
- Nancy Lin - Springfield HS - The American Dream
- Jasmyn McKenna - Springfield HS - To be Lazy is to be Happy
2007
- Lauren Ross - Rochester HS- I Believe Strength Comes from Friendship
- Sarah Brunson - Springfield HS - Religious Tolerance Could Bring Peace
- Michael DeFraties - Springfield HS - Slander as Entertainment
- Diandra Wilson, Southeast HS - I Believe in Vanity
- Libby Morse - Springfield HS - The Joy a Photograph Brings
- Nick Murphy - Southeast HS - Taking Things for Granted
- Caitlyn Barnes - Southeast HS - Hypocrisy of Our Education System
- Sam Schoenburg - Springfield HS - I Believe in Family
- Krista Walbert - Southeast HS - Inspiration in Any Situation
- McKenna Blair - Lanphier HS - You Do Not Have to Be an Adult to Make a Difference