Jocelin from Early College High School and Luke from Hubbard Middle School were named as two of the four grand prize winners from across the country.
TYLER, Texas — Three Tyler ISD students received honors for their success in Optimum’s Hispanic Heritage Month essay contest.
Jocelin from Early College High School and Luke from Hubbard Middle School were named as two of the four grand prize winners from across the country. They will each receive a $3,000 scholarship.
Also, Kenadi from Tyler Legacy High School received a runner up award to earn an iPad from Optimum. She was one of 12 students across the country to receive the honor. Below are excerpts from the students’ essays:
Jocelin from Early College High School
- Excerpt from the Essay titled ‘The Backyard That Fed Our Hearts’:
- Those backyard cookouts were everything to me. My cousins and I would run around while the adults cooked pollo and carne asada on a small grill. The sound of sizzling meat mixed with music and stories. I thought we had the best life possible because we were all together, plated piled high, and nothing to worry about. What I didn’t know was that those meals happened so often not because we were celebrating, but because they were simple and affordable to feed everyone. Still my parents and relatives made every meal feel like a feast.
Luke from Hubbard Middle School
- Excerpt from the essay titled ‘The Sharpened Name of Resilience’:
- I never thought my name was “special” in the slightest— just like how they told me, I felt ashamed of my race for a while. Every day, I walked down the hallways with my chest feeling like it would sooner or later burst out of my body, because I felt so lost within myself. What can I do? How could I allow myself to become who I am without worrying that I don’t have a “white girl” name like the rest? Then, a flashlight found me in the world of dark tunnels surrounding me.
Kenadi from Tyler Legacy High School
- Excerpt from the essay titled ‘Marigolds’:
- My favorite part of the celebration was the interaction between cultures. The years I was in middle school, I would put my grandfather’s picture on the altar, amid hundreds of pictures of all ages, genders, and ethnicities. The altar truly served as a symbol of cultural unity during the celebration; any person of any background could put a picture, an item, maybe some food on the grand shelves, and there was no difference in respect; everyone was celebrating the same thing.
As a part of the contest, Optium asked students from across 21 states to submit 500 words or less about a person, cultural experience, celebration or tradition that has helped them connect to Hispanic culture and explain what it means to them.
“Optimum is thrilled to see a record number of submissions for this year’s Hispanic Heritage Essay Contest, a testament to the passion and creativity of students across our 21-state footprint,” said Sean O’Connell, senior vice president, regional general manager at Optimum. “For eighteen years, this contest has celebrated the vibrant stories and traditions that shape Hispanic culture, and each year we are reminded of the positive impact we can make by fostering education and honoring diversity in the communities we serve. At Optimum, we remain deeply committed to empowering students and educators alike, helping to build a brighter future for all, and we look forward to celebrating with the winners and educators during our upcoming recognition events.”
