The top three winners have been named in the Five Points School 2022 essay contest conducted by Fredonia Heritage Association, partnering with New Hope Foundation.
The top winners, all 8th graders, are Skye Favors, first, Amelleon Huguley, second, and Amellion Staples, third.
The first-place award is $100, second place is $60 and third place is $40.
In addition, each of the other four students who submitted essays received $25. The additional awards were made possible by the New Hope Foundation, a charitable organization working to restore the historic New Hope Rosenwald School.
“Awarding $25 to each one of the four who entered the competition but did not place makes each of these students a winner because they chose to participate,” said New Hope Foundation Chair George Barrow, who also serves as the Essay Contest Chair for Fredonia Heritage. “New Hope Foundation is pleased to have extended the value of the contest to these four as well.”
Each of the seven also received a book, “America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities.” Traditionally the competition is held at the school each February as a part of Black History Month events.
“The students really opened up and laid it all on the line in their writings,” said Mr. Barrow. “The challenges they face daily include fear of contracting COVID at school and exposing parents and family members at home, adjusting to virtual schooling, lack of family gatherings, COVID-related deaths of family member or friend, fear of failing grades while adjusting, fear of participating in sports or attending events, and this list goes on and on. But even after going through this, most participants expressed that they are emerging as a stronger person.
“These seven students wrote with a passion about their fears and concerns and about their strength to meet them,” Mr. Barrow emphasized. “All these essays were so strong that it certainly made judging more difficult.” In addition to Mr. Barrow, this year’s judges were Nicholas Fannings, Atlanta; Jarves Palmer, Lanett, and Gene Thornton, Montgomery.
