Schools
2020 TEAM Westport Essay Contest Winners Announced
The awards ceremony scheduled for this week has been postponed to a later date.
March 31 2020
Westport, CT - TEAM Westport, the Town’s diversity engagement committee, has announced that it has postponed the Awards Ceremony for this year’s Teen Diversity Essay Contest scheduled for April 2. Contest Co-sponsor, The Westport Library will host the Awards Ceremony in its Forum shortly after it re-opens to the public.
In past years, the finalists have not been officially revealed until the Awards Ceremony. This year, however, TEAM Westport and the Library are pleased to name this year’s three finalists: Victoria Holoubek-Sebok (Grade 10), Sahiba Dhindsa (Grade 12), and Zachary Terrillion (Grade 12). All are Staples High School students. Winning essays have been embargoed until the Awards Ceremony. Actual placement of the finalists and awarding of the prizes will be made at the Awards Ceremony. The first prize is $1,000, second prize is $750, and third prize is $500.
Now in its seventh year, this year’s contest asked teens to address the issue of stereotypes as the precursor to potentially escalating bias actions. The contest was open to all students attending high school in Westport or who live in Westport and attend high school elsewhere.
This year’s challenge stated, “In 1,000 words or fewer, describe your experiences witnessing, delivering, and/or being subjected to stereotypes focused on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity, and describe the impact that such experiences are likely to have upon recipients. Consider steps that organizations, schools, and/or individuals could take to counteract stereotypes—whether as initiator, recipient or witness.”
“This year we were delighted to receive one of the largest and strongest set of entries in the Contest’s history,” said TEAM Westport Chair, Harold Bailey. “The insights within the winning essays and others submitted should provide invaluable understanding and perceptiveness to assist in making our town and schools significantly more welcoming and inviting. They also add a substantial complement to the full set of essays we have received over the past few years.”
First Selectman Jim Marpe said, “While I’m disappointed that the battle against COVID-19 has caused us to postpone the Teen Diversity Essay award event, we can’t allow this crisis to totally distract from our Town’s ongoing efforts to achieve a more diverse, open and accepting community. The finalists and their essays represent that commitment, and I look forward to meeting all of them and hearing their thoughts when we are able to safely conduct the public ceremony.”
“We want to congratulate the three finalists and commend all of the students who participated in this year’s Teen Diversity Essay Contest,” stated Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer. “In this time of such uncertainty, it is reassuring to hear from our young people about how we as a community can come together to support one another.”
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ABOUT TEAM WESTPORT: With members appointed by the First Selectman, TEAM stands for Together Effectively Achieving Multiculturalism. TEAM Westport has developed a unique role by engaging the community in and drawing attention to issues surrounding multiculturalism and diversity -- making the invisible, visible. In addition to initiatives it implements directly, TEAM Westport partners with a wide range of municipal government and community institutions. Examples include co-programming with the Westport Library, the Westport Country Playhouse, Westport Schools, Westport Police, the Westport Museum, the Interfaith Clergy, the Interfaith Council, Westport MOCA and the Levitt Pavilion.
This press release was produced by the Town of Westport. The views expressed here are the author’s own.
