The below piece is the winning high school essay in the Network of enlightened Women’s Essay Contest, sponsored by the Washington Examiner.

Election time is drawing near, and with it, the seemingly never-ending stream of campaign ads, intense debates, and “I voted” stickers. Today, voting is every citizen’s right, privilege, and responsibility. But it wasn’t always this way. Until only 100 years ago, a huge swath of adult society was prohibited from voting. It took countless years and the dedication of many women to win the fight for women’s suffrage. Now, women who have been granted the right to vote must ensure the sacrifices and achievements of the women who made it possible are celebrated, honored, and never forgotten.