The U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) has selected Redmond’s Robert Reed as winner of its 24th Annual National Peace Essay Contest.

Each year, USIP’s essay question relates to its prevention and reconciliation work in zones of conflict around the world. Reed’s essay, “Firing Cameras and Waging the Economy: The Role of Media and Economic Incentives to Combat Corruption and Build Peace,” addressed the intersection between governance, corruption and conflict.

“The 2011 contested challenged the students to go beyond the news headlines and analyze the impact that corruption can have on effective governance and how it shapes international peacebuilding initiatives,” said USIP’s Academy for International Conflict Management and Peacebuilding Senior Vice President Pamela Aall. “These are not issues that are addressed in many classrooms, but are important to promoting an understanding of global issues.”

In addition to a $1,000 scholarship, Reed, who is home schooled, has been invited to participate in a week-long program in Washington, D.C. this June. Reed and the other state-level winners will meet with USIP experts, foreign policy professionals, academics and dignitaries.

The national winners will be announced at the completion of the D.C. week. The total scholarship award for the first place national winner is $10,000.

USIP’s mission has four pillars: Think, act, teach and train. The annual essay contest is a key element of the institute’s congressional mandate to teach Americans about the importance of conflict prevention, management and post-conflict peacebuilding. The contest is supplemented by a study booklet that guides teachers and students through a discussion of the topic.