Education
Fifth graders name which person in Connecticut history they admire most
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Mar 4, 2010 - 3:00 PM

Surrounded by fifth graders, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz today presented awards to the winners of the Secretary of the State’s 16th Annual Essay Contest. More than 1,000 fifth graders from across Connecticut submitted essays this year. Students were asked to write about which person in Connecticut history they admired the most and why. Five winning essays were selected from each of Connecticut’s five congressional districts.

The first place essay winners portrayed a wide range of influential people in Connecticut’s history: Attorney William Michael Cullina, Educator and Civil Rights Pioneer Prudence Crandall, Revolutionary War Hero Nathan Hale, Actor and Humanitarian Paul Newman, and Inventor Mary Dixon Kies.

“The voting age may be 18, but that doesn’t mean young people have to wait until their 18th birthday to start thinking about how to have an impact in their community,” said Secretary Bysiewicz. “Connecticut is a small state but yet we have produced some of the world’s most influential people from thinkers, artists and inventors to political figures, scientists and athletes. It is my hope that through this essay contest, students will learn about Connecticut’s most prominent figures and be inspired one day to achieve similar success.”

Each set of winning essays consisted of a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner, along with two students who received honorable mention. Every student honored at Thursday’s event received a $25 gift certificate from Borders bookstore.

Student information is listed below

Office of the Secretary of the State’s

2010 5th Grade Essay Contest Winners

“What Person in Connecticut History Do You Admire Most and Why?”

Congressional District 1

1st Place Emily Cullina, Webster Hill School, West Hartford

2nd Place Morgan McDonald, Wells Road Intermediate School, Granby

3rd Place Faith Pease, Whiting Lane School, West Hartford

Honorable Mention Oisharya Dasgupta, Aiken Elementary School, West Hartford

Honorable Mention Aminah Nassiff, Highland Park School, Manchester

Congressional District 2

1st Place Katie Landry, Franklin Elementary School, North Franklin

2nd Place Michelle Deutsch, Franklin Elementary School, North Franklin

3rd Place Paige Giffault, Saint Michaels School, Pawcatuck

Honorable Mention Julia Roemer, Pomfret Community School, Pomfret

Honorable Mention Kirsten Littell, Tolland Intermediate School, Tolland

Congressional District 3

1st Place Avery Kron, Davis Street Magnet School, New Haven

2nd Place Jessie Taylor, E.C. Stevens Elementary School, Wallingford

3rd Place Louis Molliconi, Maloney Interdistrict Magnet School, Waterbury

Honorable Mention Tanner Georgelos, Mathewson School, Milford

Honorable Mention Andrew Biondi, St. Lawrence School, West Haven

Congressional District 4

1st Place Trevor Zezima, All Saints Catholic School, Norwalk

2nd Place Jenny Pehota, Burr Elementary School, Fairfield

3rd Place Joshua Tilton, Naramake Elementary School, Norwalk

Honorable Mention Jason Scott Deck, North Stratfield School, Fairfield

Honorable Mention Laurel Parkin, St. Jude School, Monroe


Congressional District 5


1st Place Anna Strosser, St. Gregory, Danbury

2nd Place Spencer Musselman, Goshen Center School, Goshen

3rd Place Gillian Russo, St. Rose School, Newtown

Honorable Mention Emily Kupcho, St.Peter/ St.Francis School, Torrington

Honorable Mention Michael Casino, St. Joseph School, Danbury

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