EPB honored eight Hamilton County students who celebrated the legacies and achievements of African Americans with original poetry that won top honors in the company’s 13th Annual Black History Month Poetry Contest.
Students in the first through 12th grades in public and private schools, as well as home schooled children, were encouraged to write poetry about an African American person or group that inspired them to make history themselves. With 141 entries received, it was noted that a recurring theme was about love and its power to overcome acts of hate.
“EPB is proud to have the opportunity to inspire young people to celebrate the important achievements of African Americans,” said EPB president David Wade.
“Our Black History Month contest began as an essay competition, but we changed that three years ago because of the power of poetry to express human emotion through a careful selection of words."
Each of the eight winners was honored at a banquet Thursday evening and received a $100 prize, as did their teachers:
First-Third Grades
Ella Nottis, Allen Elementary; Teacher, Mrs. Rigsby
River Thee-Slaven, Middle Valley Elementary; Teacher, Mrs. Wolfe
Fourth-Fifth Grades
Isabella Ervin, Smith Elementary; Teacher, Mrs. Holland
Gracie Williams, TN Cyber Academy; Teacher, Shannon Spath
Sixth-Eighth Grades
Jonas Mull, The McCallie School ; Teacher, Ms. Barber
Alex Williams, The McCallie School; Teacher, Ms. Barber
Ninth-12th Grades
David Horne, The McCallie School; Teacher, Sam Currin
Ryan Huynh, The McCallie School; Teacher, Sam Currin
Stacy Lightfoot, Public Education Foundation vice president, delivered the keynote address for the evening which highlighted the celebrated artistic and literary achievements of Maya Angelou.
Kelvin Boyd, EPB’s community relations specialist, coordinates the annual Black History Month Poetry Contest with Hamilton County public, private, and home schools, along with parents and judges. “Their effort is very heartwarming, and it gives me the sense that kids are going in the right direction in terms of comprehension of their studies, grasping the aspects of writing and communicating emotion through writing,” said Mr. Boyd.