It’s become an annual event for Wendell Saxon and his wife Yvonne to announce winners of the Black History essay and poster contest for Elmore County Schools.
The husband and wife started the initiative five years ago to give teachers an opportunity to bring new lessons into the classroom and reward students. It encourages students to learn some of the achievements of Blacks throughout history such as Booker T. Washington.
“It’s a volunteer program for student participation open to all Elmore County Schools students,” Saxon said. “We had so many tremendous entries this year.”
Saxon’s contest had students in grades three through five create posters and those in higher grades wrote essays. All projects were to be about African Americans past or present who made contributions.
The Saxons raised about $2,600 from fellow Elmore County Board of Education members and the community to give students as prizes in the contest.
The top 10 poster contest winners were: 1st - Kaisley, Wetumpka Elementary School; 2nd - Lakyn Martin, Wetumpka Elementary School; 3rd - Lel’lani Copeland, Wetumpka Elementary School; 4th - Shiloah Davis, Wetumpka Elementary School; 5th - Johnetta Lewis, Eclectic Elementary School; tied for 6th were Nick Gibson and Michael Lazenby of Wetumpka Elementary School and Jonnetta Lewis of Eclectic Elementary School; 7th - Aubrey Stephens, Redland Elementary School; 8th - Danna Ramirez, Wetumpka Middle School; 9th - Hazel Warren, Wetumpka Elementary School and in 10th - Savannah Lowe, Redland Elementary School.
The top 10 essay contest winners in the middle school division were: 1st - Madalyn Stanfield, Wetumpka Middle School; 2nd - Alexis Lowe, Holtville Middle School; 3rd - Maddie Lim, Redland Middle School; 4th - Kaysen Smith, Holtville Middle School; 5th - Sophie Grace Hooks, Redland Middle School; RhyLynn Sims, Holtville Middle School; 7th - Jessie Williams, Wetumpka Middle School; 8th - Liam Peck, Redland Middle School; 9th - Annie Smith, Holtville Middle School and in 10th - Braelynn Stanford, Holtville Middle School.
The top 10 essay contest winners in the high school division were: 1st - Sita Johnson, Wetumpka High School; 2nd - Layla Manus, Stanhope Elmore High School; 3rd - Makayla Patmore, Stanhope Elmore; 4th - Caroline Brown, Wetumpka High School; 5th - Cayden Pomeroy, Stanhope Elmore; tied for 6th were Ashyn Ruskin of Stanhope Elmore and Matthew Moncada of Wetumpka High School; tied for 7th were Gabriela Moncada and Javon Ryerson of Wetumpka High School and Kendra Williams of Stanhope Elmore; 8th - Jack Pinkard, Wetumpka High School; 9th - Nyema Parker of Stanhope Elmore; 10th - Madison Mitchell, Stanhope Elmore.
