Teen Librarian Lucretia Duwel (far left) with contest winners from this year’s Black History Month Essay/Art Contest, an annual event sponsored by the Stratford Library and South End Community Center.
The Stratford Library and South End Community Center’s 8th annual “Black History Month Essay/Art Contest” celebrated its winners recently. Congratulations were offered by Teen Librarian Lucretia Duwel and South End Coordinator Evelyn Barbosa at the special event which saw more than 125 students, parents, educators and guests in attendance at the Library.
These included Principals Jack Lynch (Wooster Middle School) and Jack Dellapiano (Flood Middle School) and teen representatives Alexia Smith and Deeanna Fast who spoke about the teen Creative Writing Workshop and Youth Review Board at the Library.
Duwel announced that a record number of entries were received this year which included 220 essays, 13 poems and 50 pieces of artwork. The audience was not only treated to poetry, art and writings on a variety of well-known African-Americans, but also to several local heroes who inspired them to be the best that they can be. There were few dry eyes as the teens read their stories about grandfathers, classmates and fathers who were “their personal heroes”.
This year’s Black History Month contest winners were Elementary students: Kourtney Palucci, Emily Nieves, Alyssa Ranocchia, Taniyah Robinson, Alejandra Arias, Nicholas Santiago, Alexis Aquilino, Julian Marottob, Gredliana Atencia and Joshlyn Ortiz. Middle school winners: Jessica Maldonado, Catelyn Clark, Cullen Roper, Madelyn Dunkel, Ayesha Zahrah, Ameira Hernandez, Rebecca Romano, Holly Rosa, Max Richo, Sa’noma Smart, Ashley Hong, Caeley Ott, Jacob Kudysch, Emily Goddard, Brianna LaPia, Carmela Daponte-Smith, Alexander Adzima, Stanley Yarmoussik, Jarrod Davis and Natalie Anderson.
Duwel also recognized the teachers whose students took part in this year’s contest: Margaret Cominelli, Renee Hamulak and Sue Smoly (Second Hill Lane), Robin Celentano (Chapel), Dawn Gianotta (Nichols), Cathy Giaquinto and Kathy D’Amico (Lordship), Janet Zeiner and Sue Saylor (Flood), Christina Coutinho, Kevin Broadbin, Jill Degnan and Katie Ayres (Wooster) and Colleen Simon (St. James).
Upcoming at the Stratford Library for Teens will be “Bullying Has NO Boundaries” with author/cartoonist Jerry Craft Tuesday, March 18, at 6:30 p.m.
For more information on teen programming, call 203-385-4162 or visit stratfordlibrary.org.