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Young Native Writers Essay Contest Winners to Arrive in Washington

The contest is designed to inspire honest portrayals of the richness of Native American life and history.

The Young Native Writers Essay Contest is a writing contest for Native American high school students and is designed to inspire honest portrayals of the richness of Native American life and history.  The Young Native Writers contest, now in its second year, was inspired by the Holland & Knight Foundation's goal of promoting education and creating new opportunities for youth.

From August 2 -7, five students who are the first place winners of the contest and three teachers will be in Washington, D.C.
 
This year's winners are:
 
  • Natalie Carpenter (Karuk) of Hoopa, California - "Strength Within"
  • Fairuz Dakam (Oglala Lakota) of Kyle, South Dakota - "Our Struggle, My Dream"
  • Sandra Menadelook (Alaskan Inupiag Eskimo) of Teller, Alaska - "Becoming a Bilingual/Bicultural Teacher"
  • Bridgette Mesa (Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Tucson) Cama, Washington - "Native Leadership: The Beginning of the Trail"
  • Kai Monture (Tlingit) of Yakutat, Alaska - "We Who Are Tlingit"
 
Click here to read their award-winning essays.
 
 
The teacher participants are:
 
  • Vicki Kurtz (Natalie Carpenter's teacher)
  • Monica Winkley (Bridgette Mesa's teacher)
  • George Ramos, Kai Monture's grandfather who is also a teacher of dance and Tlingit language and customs
 
The week's activities will include:
 
On Friday, August 3, the NMAI is hosting the students and teacher for an honor ceremony that will take place in the Potomac Atrium at NMAI at 10:00 a.m. and will be open to the public.  The White Oak drummers will be performing, and an old friend of Holland & Knight, Mary Sunbeam Arponte will speak to the group about the richness of their heritage and the value of remember their ancestors.  We also expect to have speakers from NMAI and the Holland & Knight Indian Law Group.  Afterwards, the groups will visit their tribal collections at the Cultural Resource Center.  
 
On Saturday, August 4, the group will tour American University and meet with Native American college students working as Interns in Washington this summer (WINS).  
 
On Sunday, August 5, the group will be attending the Washington Nationals baseball game and picnic that the Mid-Atlantic Region is hosting at RFK Stadium. 
 
On Monday, August 6, the group will be touring the Capitol through the work of Congressman Young's office, and later in the day, they will be in the DC office for a luncheon with the Holland & Knight Indian Law Group (the Los Angeles office will participate via video conference).
 
If you wish to join Holland & Knight in supporting the Young Native Writers Essay Contest, your contribution will be applied directly to program costs for educational material and scholarships. To donate, click here or send a check to Young Native Writers Essay Contest, Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 2877, Tampa, FL  33601-2877.
 

 

2007 Young Native Writers Essay Contest winners announced!

 

Natalie Carpenter
(Karuk)
Hoopa, CA		 Fairuz Dakam
(Oglala Lakota)
Kyle, SD		 Sandra Menadelook
(Inupiag Eskimo)
Teller, AK		 Bridgette Mesa
(Pascua Yaqui)
Camas, WA		 Kai Monture
(Tlingit)
Yakutat, AK