The Chonnam Tribune held an award ceremony on December 6th for the 2013 English Essay Contest at the University Administraion. The winners were selected from a large number of entries and the topic was about the impact of digital technologies on human lives and brain. Judges said that many participants in the contest gave very convincing and wonderful reasons to support their position and it was not easy to choose the winning entries.
   A grand prize went to Oh Ro-ra, a junior at CNU. Muhamad Jad Hamizan Bin Mohamad Yusoff, an exchange student from University of Malaya took a gold prize. Kim Jae-seung, a sophomore at CNU received a silver prize, while Park Ji-young, a senior at CNU, Lee Seong-hun, a junior at CNU, and Seo Yoon-jin, a sophomore at CNU Medical School took the bronze prizes.
   The contest was open to students studying at universities located in Gwangju Metropolitan City and Jeonnam Province. Foreign students of English as a second language also participated in the contest. The applicants submitted an essay which they wrote over a period of four hours on the topics posted on the CNU Press and Broadcasting Center’s official website at 2 p.m. on November 9th.
   Each participant had to choose between one of two topics: 1. As digital technology evolves and brings more convenience to our everyday lives, it has removed the need for people to improve their intellectual capacity and has spoiled their brains. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. 2. Using laptops and all electronic devices should be banned in order to help students focus in class. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

   The Official List of Winners 
   Grand Prize: Oh Ro-ra, Junior, Dept. of English Language and Literature, CNU
   Gold Prize: Muhamad Jad Hamizan Bin Mohamad Yusoff,Exchange Student, 
                   Dept. of English Language and Literature, National University of Malaysia
   Silver Prize: Kim Jae-seung, Sophomore, Pre-medical Science, CNU
   Bronze Prize: Park Ji-young, Senior, S Dept. of English Language and Literature, CNU
   Seo Yoon-jin, Sophomore, Medical School, CNU
Lee Seong-hyun, Junior, Dept. of English Education, CNU