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ALBANY, N.Y. (Jan. 8, 2009)
-- Albany Elks Lodge 49 honored 16 City School District of Albany
students on Jan. 8 for outstanding essays they wrote on the subject of
"What Freedom Means to Me."
“I am free because I
feel free! The sound of those words fills me with pride,” wrote
Isabella Serena Higgins, a fourth-grader at Albany School of
Humanities (ASH) who took first prize for her grade. “Some of my
ancestors were slaves and did not have the same rights as I do now.
When I think of freedom, I say I am my own person and nobody can
change that. Everyone deserves freedom. No matter where they live,
what their religion is or anything else."
Serena was one of
380 students from 10 Albany public schools who participated in a
citywide essay contest sponsored by Lodge 49. Her work and other top
essays were showcased at a “Celebration of Freedom” ceremony
at the Albany Elks Lodge, 25 South Allen St. Finalists read
their essays at the celebration. Each first-place winner received a
$100 savings bond and each second-place winner a $50 savings bond.
Each honorable mention received a $10 gift certificate, and all
students who submitted essays received certificates.
Lodge 49’s essay
contest is part of an annual national Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks program to promote patriotism. Lodge members reviewed
the Albany schools’ essays in December and will submit top entries
from fifth- through eighth-graders to a statewide essay competition.
If selected, those essays will be forwarded to Elks USA to compete
in a national contest in July. First-place winners at the national
level will receive a $1,000 savings bond and second-place winners
will receive a $500 savings bond.
Janelly Durr’s
vision of freedom was inspired by her grandfather’s flight from
Cuba.
“My grandfather
escaped a death order from Fidel and traveled to America through
shark-filled waters. Yes, real sharks!” wrote the Thomas O’Brien
Academy of Science and Technology (TOAST) sixth-grader. “He was one
of the lucky ones that made it, but saw many relatives perish on
their journey to freedom. Imagine dying just to reach land that’s
free? Let freedom ring.”
Following is the
list of award recipients:
Third Grade
First Place – Adriennah Saunders, New Scotland Elementary School
Second Place – Zylar Jones, Eagle Point Elementary School
Honorable Mention – Mara Strich, Pine Hills Elementary School
Fourth Grade
First Place – Isabella Serena Higgins, ASH
Second Place – Devon Grace O’Connell, ASH
Honorable Mention – Cailey Wolfgang, New Scotland Elementary School
Fifth Grade
First Place – Jamie Curcio, New Scotland Elementary School
Second Place – Kevmon Smith, TOAST
Sixth Grade
First Place – Janelly Durr, TOAST
Second Place – Aaliyah Gillespie, North Albany Academy
Honorable Mention – Kitty Sharp, William S. Hackett Middle School
Seventh Grade
First Place – Jeremy David, Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School
Second Place – Julie Salinero, Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle
School
Eighth Grade
First Place – Justin
Santos, William S. Hackett Middle School
Second Place – Collin K. Smith, Middle School Alternative Program
Honorable Mention – Shamekia Perelez, Stephen and Harriet Myers
Middle School
Connie
McNally, a reading specialist at North Albany Academy and a member of
Lodge 49’s Americanism Committee, coordinated the contest.
The City School
District of Albany serves approximately 8,400 students in 18
elementary, middle and high schools. In addition to neighborhood
schools, the district includes several
magnet schools and programs, as well as other innovative academic
opportunities for students. The
district is more than halfway through its comprehensive facilities
project to newly build and/or renovate nearly all of its elementary
and middle schools. The ultimate goal of the facilities project is
to provide schools with the resources necessary to help students
succeed in the 21st century. |
