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Austin Area Creative Writing Contest
Austin City Hall -
April 17, 2008 |
Place winners: Kate
Wood, Sara Loughran,
and Shyam Sharma |
The
“Celebrate America” Creative Writing Contest honored
its essay winners at a ceremony at Austin City Hall.
The 2008 competition was truly a success with 247 entries
from eleven schools and three school districts. The
entries themselves were just as varied, including
poems, interviews, stories, illustrated books, and
even a letter to Congressman Lloyd Doggett. |
Council
Member Mike Martinez was the ceremony’s keynote
speaker and he spoke on his own personal experiences
with immigration as well as the importance of
immigrants to Austin, Texas, and to the nation.
Council Member Martinez, along with Attorney
Kevin Lashus of Tindall & Foster, P.C., presented
the awards to the schools and students.
Principal Azucena Garcia accepted the second place participation
award for Sanchez Elementary which had 78 percent
participation among its 5th grade students.
The
first place participation winner was Joslin Elementary
with 81 percent of its 5th graders taking part in the
contest. After accepting their award, the students
took a tour of City Hall. |
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“Not
only was I able to get inside students’ heads and have
them put pen to paper, it also sparked dialogue among
students and their educators (including me), which was
a priceless lesson ‘in my book’.”
-Ana Christina Loya, Librarian, Sanchez Elementary |
Principal Garcia and
Council Member
Mike Martinez
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Teachers Gloria
Rangel and Debra Ambrose accept the
participation award on behalf of Joslin Elementary |
Joslin students tour
City Hall |
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After accepting their awards from Council
Member Martinez, winners Sara Loughran (1st Place),
Kate Wood (2nd Place), and Shyam Sharma (3rd Place)
then read their essays to the audience.
Place Winners |
Kate Wood, Sara
Loughran and Shyam Sharma |
Sara Loughran reads her
1st Place essay. |
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“Celebrate America”
Awards Ceremony slide show |
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The Tindall & Foster
Creative Writing Team would like to extend a sincere
thank you to all of the judges, schools, teachers,
administrators, and city personnel who made the
contest and the awards ceremony possible. A very
special word of appreciation also goes out to all of
the students who shared their opinions, personal
experiences and hopes for immigration in the United
States. |
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*All photos on this
page by Jeanniffer Burnes |