Checking our inbox every morning has never been so interesting. Everyday for the last four weeks we’ve been receiving dozens of submissions for our New York City Photo Contest. Using only their medals, their wits and the dramatic backdrop of the city, this year’s Scholastic Award winners who made it to Carnegie Hall were challenged to capture themselves in their favorite New York City moments. The student with the winning shot was selected by a panel of experts (the Alliance staff!) to receive an iPod Touch, generously donated by TekServe.

The photos ranged from hilarious to artistic, action shots (eating cupcakes and jumping in the rain), to dramatic reenactments from favorite movies and impersonations of national monuments. In the end, these entries were so good that we had to include two runners-up.

Congratulations to first place winner Max Mikulecky, and runners-up Theresa Krosse and Lorena Knezevic.

Thanks to everyone who participated (and made reading our morning e-mails more fun than ever before!).

Credits, image above (from left to right): Theresa Krosse, Max Mikulecky and Lorena Knezevic)