Solon Students Win Awards In MLK Essay Contest

SOLON, OH — Solon High students took home three awards from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Stand for Racial Justice High School Essay Contest.

Senior Wendy Wu, junior Ava Parikh and sophomore Aparna Srikanth were each recognized for their essays on "What is Racism and What Should We Do About It?" The essay contest is run by Cuyahoga Community College as part of the Stand for Racial Justice initiative.

“Our students are listening, they are motivated and they are engaged,” said Erin Short, Solon High principal. “The work we are doing as a school through our PTA Diversity and Inclusion lessons is more important than ever. We have so much to learn from our students if we just listen.”

Wendy won first place in the junior/senior division for her essay, "The Wounds of Racism and How Justice Can Prevail."

Ava received third place in the junior/senior division for her essay, "Racism is Our Responsibility, Our Nemesis."

Aparna's essay, "George Floyd's Death was the Catalyst," earned third place in the sophomore/freshmen division.

“The idea is to encourage area students to think deeply and for themselves about one of the most pressing issues of our time,” said Matthew Jordan, Tri-C dean of humanities, in announcing the contest.