Chuckey Doak student wins $500 for essay on police's use of deadly force
AFTON, Tenn. (WJHL) — A rising sophomore at Chuckey Doak High School won $500 after placing first in the Seventh Annual Federal Court Civics Essay Contest.
The United States District Court of Eastern Tennessee held a celebration at the federal courthouse in Knoxville on Tuesday to recognize Gabriella D'Agostino's accomplishment, along with the second and third-place winners.
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The civics essay contest was open to high school students attending public and private schools, as well as homeschooled students, in 24 East Tennessee counties.
The 2025 essay prompt asked students to research the meaning of the term 'reasonableness' in regard to the Fourth Amendment's prohibition of unreasonable force by law enforcement. Contestants wrote about the factors courts should consider when deciding if an officer's use of deadly force is reasonable.
D'Agostino wrote in her essay that deadly force by officers is a necessary, albeit highly consequential, part of law enforcement in the country that must be carefully scrutinized.
'Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that deadly force remains an exceptional response, reserved for situations where there is a genuine, imminent, and severe threat,' D'Agostino wrote in her essay.
Second place was awarded $300, and third place received $200.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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