Two South Grove Elementary School Students Chosen as Black History Month Essay Contest Runners-Up

South Grove Elementary School students Russell Erfan and Aayan Subzwari were announced as runners-up in Optimum Community’s inaugural Black History Month Essay Contest. The boys’ essays were chosen from more than 300 essays in the elementary school category. Russell’s essay was about Benjamin Banneker, a free African American almanac author, surveyor, naturalist and farmer known for creating a functioning wooden clock. Aayan chose to write about Heavyweight Champion boxer Muhammad Ali, famous for declaring that he could "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.”

Students throughout the tristate area were invited to submit an essay of 500 words or less naming an African American with whom they would choose to spend a day and explain why. Each boy was awarded an iPad mini and had an opportunity to read their winning essay aloud to their classmates.