Today the New America Foundation Announced the Winner of its “Improving the Lives of Children" Essay Contest
Washington, D.C. -- Today the New America Foundation announced the winner of its inaugural "Improving the Lives of Children" essay contest during a ceremony at Benjamin Banneker Academic High School. Banneker senior Yolanda Long, 18, received a $1,000 award for college. David Gray, director of the Workforce and Family Program at New America, and Victor Reinoso, DC's deputy mayor for education, presented the award.
According to Mr. Gray, "The goal of the 'Improving the Lives of Children' essay contest and the award ceremony is to draw attention to the needs of children and to the next generation of ideas to help kids.
"We had many excellent essays submitted. Yolanda's stood out in the opinion of the judges and she should be congratulated. We hope all students in the district and nation will continue to think of ways to improve the lives of all our citizens," Gray said.
In fall 2007, the New America Foundation's Workforce and Family Program invited all public and private high school seniors in Washington, D.C. to voice their opinions about the needs of children by writing and submitting an essay that answers the question, "You have just been elected the President of the United States. What is the most important thing you will do to improve the lives of America's children?" The contest's judges included DC State Superintendent of Education Deborah Gist, former First Lady of the State of Pennsylvania Ginny Thornburgh, who directs Religion and Disability issues at the National Organization on Disability in Washington, and Youth Venture's Director of Fellowship and the MidAtlantic Region, Marco Davis.
Yolanda Long, a member of the National Language Honors Society, will attend Hampton University in the fall. During her time at Banneker High School, she played soccer, and joined the year book club and pep squad. Outside of school, Ms. Long is a member of Kapital Keystone Club, a youth leadership group for teenagers (at the Richard England Clubhouse, 4103 Benning Road, NE). In June, she’ll begin an internship with the DC Chamber of Commerce. Also, in junior high school, Ms. Long was valedictorian of her class. Yolanda’s winning essay, along with the names of the contest’s ten finalists, appears on New America's website: http://www.newamerica.net/programs/workforce_and_family/essay_contest.
David Gray’s bio: http://www.newamerica.net/people/david_gray.
Victor Reinoso's bio: http://dme.dc.gov/dme/cwp/view,a,3,Q,606847,PM,1.asp.
Attached photo - caption - left to right:
David Gray (director of New America’s Workforce and Family Program), Deon Long (brother of Yolanda, a junior at Dunbar High School in Washington DC), Diane Long (mother of Yolanda), Yolanda Long (contest winner, and a senior at Banneker High School), and Victor Reinoso (Washington DC Deputy Mayor for Education). Photo credit goes to Sam Sherraden, of the New America Foundation.
For further information, contact Erin Drankoski, of the New America Foundation, at 202-997-8727 or Drankoski@newamerica.net.
About the New America Foundation
The New America Foundation is an independent, nonprofit public policy institute whose purpose is to bring exceptionally promising new voices and new ideas to the fore of our nation's public discourse. Relying on a venture capital approach, the Foundation invests in outstanding individuals and policy solutions that transcend the conventional political spectrum. New America is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and also has offices in California.
Related Programs: Workforce and Family Program
Topics: Family & Children
