Victoria Lever, Federica Albanese, Ansuya Bisbey and Natalie Jean were the top winners in their respective categories in the Montgomery County Commission for Women’s (CFW) eighth annual “Girl Power Contest.” The annual contest is sponsored in celebration of Women’s History Month (March).  

 Winners were selected in four categories: 

• Elementary school 
• Middle school 
• High school 
• Adult 

“I want to congratulate all of this year’s Girl Power Contest winners and everyone who took the time to submit an entry,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Encouraging girls and women to see themselves as leaders, creators and agents of change is one of the ways we build a more equitable future. I’m grateful to the Commission for Women, our libraries and our recreation staff for continuing to support and celebrate this work.” 

Contestants were asked to respond to the following prompt: “The media we consume plays a powerful role in shaping confidence, ambition and self-worth, especially for young girls and women, by providing representation, positive role models and stories that challenge stereotypes. What kind of media (TV shows, social media content, YouTube series, movies, books, etc.) would you create to inspire, uplift and empower girls and women in the community?” 

CFW commissioners, along with representatives from Montgomery County Public Libraries and Montgomery County Recreation, served as judges. Entries could be submitted in various formats, including short stories, drawings, songs, poems or other creative expressions. Submissions were evaluated based on creativity and content. 

The 2025 winners and honorable mention recipients are:  

• Elementary School First Place: Victoria Lever (Ashburton Elementary School)
• Honorable Mention: Alexandra Eum (Bayard Rustin Elementary School)

Middle School 

• First Place: Federica Albanese (Loiederman Middle School)
• Honorable mention: Sarah Liu (Eastern Middle School)