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For
Immediate Release
For more information contact:
Tina Bruno @ 210-479-3106
Texans
for a Traditional School Year
Announce Essay Contest Winners
(San Antonio)
Texans for a Traditional School Year announced the winners of its statewide
essay contest today. First place overall winner is high school senior
Paul Terrell of the Sherman, with Bridgette Rater of Commerce placing second
and Megan Brentzel of Denison third. Statewide essay winners will
receive a savings bond for $1000, $750 and $500 respectively, with each
district winner receiving a $100 cash prize.
“In all, we received over 500 entries from
around the state,” said Tina Bruno, Texans for a Traditional School Year
spokeswoman. “The essays illustrated how significantly the shorter
summer is impacting our students and their families. It was very
difficult for the judges to pick a winner.”
The essay contest was open to high school
juniors and seniors across the state. Prizes were awarded to the
first, second and third place winners statewide as well as the first place
winner in each Texas Education Regional Service Center. The essay
topic was, “Benefits of a longer summer vacation”.
“Reading the essays helped me understand
how much more goes into being a student today. Work is not a luxury
for many, but a necessity to help put food on the table,” said Irene
Robles one of the contest judges. “Other themes were the lack of
time to spend with families and the inability for high school juniors to
take college classes during the summer break due to the bloated school
calendar.”
Texans for a Traditional School Year is a
statewide, grassroots coalition of parents, educators and school
administrators concerned about the negative impact the early to mid-August
school start date has on our students and teachers. Their mission is
to raise awareness about the issue and its direct impact on Texas youth and
the education we expect them to earn.
Call for entries was made on August 7, 2000
via a news advisory made available by the Texas Press Association.
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