Ald. Milele Coggs
Press Release

Stirring words about freedom bring students scholarship awards

Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs today announced the winners of the 5th annual Freedom Scholarship Essay Contest.

By - Oct 2nd, 2012 01:16 pm

Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs today announced the winners of the 5th annual Freedom Scholarship Essay Contest.

The winners are Mikael L. Luter, a 2010 graduate of Dominican High School and now a sophomore at Marquette University, and Imari Conner, a 2012 high school graduate of Ronald Reagan High School and a freshman attending Fisk University.

Alderwoman Coggs said each of the winning entries was exceptionally well-written and struck a chord about the steep price that has been paid for freedom. “These writers each captured the importance of tapping into the spirit of our ancestors and our history, because that gives us a fresh perspective on the life and death struggles they persevered through so that we could have many of the freedoms we have today,” Alderwoman Coggs said.

Mr. Luter, in his essay, wrote: “To combat and prevent such negativity and inequality, we must begin to educate each other more, as well as more thoroughly on the lifestyles, cultures and spiritualities of the aforementioned ‘seeds’ of our roots.”

In her essay, Ms. Conner wrote: “History lessons can be taught, but if no one appreciates or understands the sacrifice ancestors made to make sure there were opportunities for their children, there will be no progress.”

The annual contest challenges students to put into words what the concept of “freedom” means to them and how they can combat and prevent prejudice, discrimination, and violence in our world today. Each winner receives a $500 scholarship award.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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