Eight girls were recognized as the winners of EPB's annual Black History Month poetry contest Thursday evening.
The girls' poems were chosen out of 327 entries, many of which highlighted the Chattanooga sit-in movement of Howard High School students in the 1960s. Other topics included Dr. Emma Wheeler and how she opened the Walden Hospital to treat African-Americans in underprivileged communities, as well as the lasting effects of racism and prejudice on minority populations today.
Being able to put her thoughts into words and commemorate someone like Dr. Wheeler and her legacy meant a lot to elementary schooler Naei'Lah Powers. She said it made her feel good to write her poem, and she was excited to have learned about the Walden Hospital.
Winners
Grades 1-3Naei’Lah Powers, Orchard Knob ElementaryBayleigh Evans, East Brainerd ElementaryGrades 4-5Ella Nottis, Allen ElementaryBrynn Beckstrand, Snow Hill ElementaryGrades 6-8Ma’lisha Cook, Washington Alternative Learning CenterGracie Williams, home schoolGrades 9-12Fatima Ibbarra, Hixson High SchoolClaire Pouncey, Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences
Tenesha Irvin, keynote speaker and host of her own radio talk show, challenged students to learn from the past through the topics they wrote about and to think about what they can do to play their part in today's world. She encouraged them to find their passion and get involved in political discourse.
"I challenge you, I beseech you all, students, to go and be great," Irvin said. "Begin to build your legacy. Begin thinking about what you'll be remembered for."
Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke also spoke at the event.
"We spend a lot of time in Hamilton County and other places talking about the things that we don't do well," he said. "I really believe if we focus on our strengths, the things that we do well, we're a lot more likely to make more progress than if we focus on our weaknesses."
He pointed out how the topics children focused on were more complex than they seemed.
"These are big topics, and when we understand more about them, we can put today's world into context and figure out how we need to move forward," he said. "These students are doing an important service for themselves and for our community by understanding what it is and talking about it."
High schooler Fatima Ibbarra said she learned more about empathy through writing her poem. She said she was glad she was able to talk about the struggles and feelings of people in underprivileged communities and may still feel today.
Contact staff writer Rosana Hughes at rhughes@times freepress.com or 423-757-6327 with tips or story ideas. Follow her on Twitter @HughesRosana.