This summer, Ald. Milele A. Coggs offered college-bound students a chance to help pay for their education in exchange for their statement on what the concept of “freedom” means to them. This year’s 4th Annual Freedom Essay Scholarship Contest winners were announced last week by Alderwoman Coggs’ office.
Ella White Ragland submitted the required information and wrote an essay of 1,000 words or less addressing what freedom means. Ragland is a recent graduate of Messmer High School and now attends Marquette University. In her essay, she said, “If we as a new generation understand the past and how those before us fought so that we might have the freedom that exist now, we could truly begin to take steps forward that would help us deal with the world today.”
Shaleta Lathon was also awarded a scholarship for her essay. She graduated from St. Joan Antida High School and now attends Saint Xavier University. In her contest essay, she said, “I am so grateful for people like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth and more. I thank them for their contributions to society each and every day.”
Ald. Coggs said, “The celebration and recognition of the struggle for freedom is one that can not be forgotten and these young women were able to convey that fact and had great suggestions on how other young people could contribute to society to help combat and prevent prejudice, discrimination and violence in our world today.” The contest, which has become an annual event, opened early this summer and candidates were solicited from recent high school graduates who are residents of the 6th District. Raglan and Lathon will each receive a $500 award for their essay.
“It is my sincere hope that at some point all those who seek higher education and are willing to work hard for the opportunity have it; this scholarship is one small way that I have found to contribute to such opportunities,” Ald. Coggs said.
