Westfield Students Presented Awards for Annual MLK Day Contest

During the 27th annual Martin Luther King Jr. interfaith commemoration service in Westfield, members of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Association and Superintendent Dr. Margaret Dolan presented local students with awards for their involvement in the essay, poetry and art contests.

First place essay winner and first place poetry winner, Andrew Kapadia and Kevin Tierney read their winning pieces at the ceremony at Temple Emanu-El on Jan. 20.

The contest was titled 50 Years after “I Have a Dream.”

The winners of the contests were as follows:

Intermediate Schools

Essays
1st Place: Andrew Kapadia, 6th Grade - Edison
2nd Place: Abigail Connoly, 8th Grade – Edison
3rd Place: Talia Remba, 6th Grade – Edison
and Amanda Zhang, 8th Grade – Edison

Poetry
1st Place: Kevin Tierney, 6th Grade – Roosevelt
2nd Place: Ben Kevelson, 8th Grade – Edison
3rd Place: John Devanney, 8th Grade – Edison

Art
1st Place: Catherine Moore, 8th Grade – Roosevelt
2nd Place: Danny Hoerle, 8th Grade – Roosevelt
3rd Place: Colleen Glynn, 8th Grade – Holy Trinity
and Keira Mangan, 8th Grade – Roosevelt
Honorable Mention: Meghan Root, 8th Grade – Holy Trinity

Elementary Schools

Essays
1st Place: Sara Cagnassola, 4th Grade – Jefferson
2nd Place: Celia Frank, 4th Grade – Jefferson
3rd Place: Sean Czarnecki, 4th Grade – Jefferson
Honorable Mention: Hope Sanchez, 5th Grade – Jefferson

Poetry
1st Place: Katie Miles, 4th Grade – Jefferson
2nd Place: Anna Qiang, 5th Grade – Tamaques
3rd Place: Sophie Kamenetsky, 5th Grade – Wilson

Art
1st Place: Anna Qiang, 5th Grade - Tamaques
2nd Place: Nicole Cosenza, 5th Grade – McKinley
3rd Place: Francesca Davenport, 5th Grade – Jefferson
and Elizabeth Bielen, 5th Grade – McKinley
Honorable Mention: Mrs. Montes’ Class, 1st Grade – Tamaques

In 2013, nearly $1,400 in award were presented at the annual commemoration services, according to Westfield's Dr. Martin Luther King Association.