Winners Named In BCPS Black History Month Writing Contest

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — The winning entries have been announced in the annual Baltimore County Public Schools Black History Month Writing Contest, coordinated by the Baltimore County Public Schools Office of Social Studies and Office of English Language Arts. The contest had as its prompt a quotation by business executive and civil rights leader Vernon Jordan: “You are where you are today because you stand on somebody’s shoulders. And wherever you are heading, you cannot get there by yourself.”

Students in kindergarten through 12th grade from all BCPS schools were invited to respond to the quotation by writing about how an African American leader has inspired them to achieve or to pursue a goal. Students could respond to the prompt by researching their chosen figure and writing a personal essay, letter, speech, script or poem. Students in kindergarten through second grade could submit a drawing and caption instead.

The winning entries can be viewed in a BCPS blog post. The winners and students receiving honorable mention are:

Grades K – 2
Winner: Tanaaya Abraham, Timonium Elementary
Honorable Mention: Alexis Cook, Honeygo Elementary

Grades 3-5
Winner: Landon Brown, Riderwood Elementary
Honorable Mention: Kendall Brown, Riderwood Elementary

Grades 6-8
Winner: Fatimah Olufayo, Northwest Academy of Health Sciences
Honorable Mention: Sylvia George, Parkville Middle

Grades 9-12
Winner: Oluwaseye (Mary) Onasanya, Milford Mill Academy
Honorable Mention: Jazmin Gonzalez, Kenwood High