The César Chávez Dolores Huerta Commemorative Committee recently announced the winners of our 2018 Essay/Poem/Poster Contest and celebrated the students at an awards ceremony on May 15.
Ann Marie Callegari, Supervisor from the Office of Family Engagement & Equity reported: “We had 130 submissions this year, and 97 came from Thousand Oaks Elementary School. Special thanks to all students who entered the contest, and to the teachers and other school staff who supported them. Special thanks to Thousand Oaks teachers Bob Garrison, Megan AbramsonWard and Jennifer Wendel for working with the students with the winning entries.”
The student winners were selected for their response to Reyna Grande’s memoir, The Distance Between Us, about her difficult life in Mexico and in the United States.
“Our students brilliantly connected their own experiences to Ms. Grande’s, expressed empathy for Ms. Grande and other families with difficult immigrant experiences, and gave us hope with their words and art, that they will continue the stand up what is right, including immigrant rights,” Ms. Callegari said.
“We hope that teachers will celebrate all of the students in their class, and encourage them to enter again next year.”