Palatine family law attorney awards $2,500 in scholarships

The second annual Scholarships for College-Bound Chicagoland Powered by the Law Office of Nicholas W. Richardson, P.C., were awarded to four area high school students. Thank to you everyone who submitted an essay for this year's scholarships. Congrats to the winners:

• Matthew Houck, grand prize, Maine South High School

• Megan Aquadro, first runner-up, Libertyville High School

• Christopher Annis, honorable mention, Wheaton North High School

• Jake Ritthamel, honorable mention, Maine South High School

Totaling $2,500, the scholarships aim to help families in Chicago's Northwest suburbs with expenses for advanced education, including college, nursing, business, trade, technical training and other similar programs.

This year, students rewrote the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution and then explain their rationale with examples from their own lives or from U.S. history in 500 words.

"For the last two years, I've been beyond impressed with the overall quality of the essay submissions, and the time the soon-to-be graduates put into their essays," says Attorney Nicholas W. Richardson, who launched this program in 2014 as a means to give back to the community. "This year's submissions were so strong that I decided to change the scholarships to the same amount next year."

Matthew Houck, this year's grand prize winner, noted the challenge of writing such an essay hinges on the fact that the Constitution "remains relevant in a world that is nearly unrecognizable from the time it was written. Through over two centuries since our nation's founding, the Constitution has endured. It has stood the test of time."

Attorney Richardson is happy to give back to the communities that have helped grow his law practice that he opened in 2009, and given skyrocketing college expenses, he's happy to help today's families throughout Cook, DuPage, Lake and McHenry chip away at the cost of further education.

"Thank you to all the students who submitted essays this year. Almost every submission was worthy of winning, and I think, this fact speaks volumes to the caliber of students graduating from our area high schools," added Richardson.

To read the 2015 scholarship-winning essays, visit www.nickrichardsonlaw.com/scholarship-program/2015-winners.

About the Law Office of Nicholas W. Richardson, P.C.:

Based in Palatine, Ill., at his namesake law office, Attorney Richardson helps families throughout Chicago's Northwest Suburbs navigate numerous family law-related matters every day. His direct, straightforward approach has resonated with his clients since his admission to the Bar of Illinois in 2004. This year, Attorney Richardson was named to Rising Stars, an honor given to only 2.5 percent of Illinois lawyers. For more information, visit www.nickrichardsonlaw.com.