Callaway Elementary School Third Grade Class Black History Essay Research Winners

Teacher, Mrs. Williams (center), with 2022 student essay winners

An education feature submitted by:

Cynthia Williams, Third Grade Teacher

Callaway Elementary School

As a country we have realized history books used in our classrooms have failed to provide a well-balanced view of our history to our kids, by omitting many people of color or different ethnic backgrounds. To overcome this narrow focus, we now have months dedicated to those who have not been equally recognized in our American history textbooks.

The month of September is National Hispanic Heritage Month; November is National Native American Month; January 27 is National Holocaust Day; and February is Black History Month. In Language Arts this year, our Module 5 aligned perfectly with bringing Black history to the forefront.

We began our unit discussing our essential question, “How can one person make a difference in their local or global community?” The module incorporated two biographies that the students really enjoyed.

The first being about Will Allen, an American urban farmer in Milwaukee, who was the first African American to play basketball collegiately at the University of Miami, and afterwards played professionally in Belgium. Allen began his urban farming within the city of Milwaukee due to the lack of fresh vegetables within city limits. He is considered one of the most influential leaders of the urban farming movement.

Next, we read a short story about a Gambian activist, Isatou Ceesay, who initiated a recycling movement called One Plastic Bag in Njau, Gambia. In that program women were taught to crochet using recycled plastic bags to make beautiful purses.

These biographies provided examples of how people of color can contribute to their communities and make essential changes. This led to us allowing students to choose an African American they were interested in to do mini biographies. By working through multiple resources to complete their projects, it also allowed for me to learn along with my students.

Marley Olds (1st Place)

George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver was born into slavery, the son of an enslaved woman named Mary, owned by Moses Carver. During the American Civil War, George and Mary were stolen and taken away to be sold. Moses Carver located George but not Mary. Afterwards, George lived on the Carver property until the age of 10 or 12.

In his late twenty's, George Washington Carver got a high school education in Kansas while working as a farmhand. He received a bachelor's degree in Agricultural Science in 1894 and a Master of Science degree in 1896 from Iowa State University. George Washington Carver developed more than 300 food, industrial, and commercial products from peanuts, including Worcestershire Sauce, punches, cooking oils, cosmetics, soaps, and wood stains. He also experimented with peanut-based medicines, such as antiseptics and laxatives.

George Washington Carver died on January 5, 1943, at Tuskegee Institute after falling downstairs. He was 78 years old.

Alexis Street (2nd Place)

Jackie Robinson

Welcome to the Brooklyn Dodgers, Featuring.....Jackie Robinson!

Jackie Robinson was born January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia. He lived with his mother Mallie. He played baseball, basketball, and football while in school.

In 1947, Jackie Robinson master minded the integration of professional sports in America by breaking the color barrier of baseball. He played first base for the Dodgers.

Jackie Robinson's number was forty-two (42) and it was retired after he stopped playing. The only time others can wear the number on fields is on Jackie Robinson Day, April 15.

During his tenth year of Major League Baseball, (MLB) career, Jackie Robinson won the Inaugural Rookie of the Year Award and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1962.

Zahir Rodriquez (3rd Place)

Simone Biles

Simone Arianna Biles- Olympic and World Champion Gymnast

She runs, she jumps, and she flips! It's Simone Biles. At 4 feet 8 inches, nobody can do it like her. Born March 14, 1997, in Columbus, Ohio. Both of her parents struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction. Simone and her sister were adopted by their grandparents, Ronald, and Nellie Biles.

Simone started gymnastic at an early age after visiting the gym with her daycare. She was always a natural and could copy flips that older gymnast were doing.

Simone has a total of 32 Olympic and World champion gold medals. She set a new American record for the most gold medals in gymnastics at a single Olympic game. She is considered one of the greatest and most dominant gymnasts of all times. Simone Biles Achievements includes: 2021-Time Magazine Athlete of the Year; 2016, she won 4 gold medals at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and she won the USA gymnastics title seven times.

NOTE FROM EDITOR: Callaway Elementary is a Bay County School located in Callaway, Florida. This is the first education feature published by Florida's Truth Be Told, Incorporated. However, as we continue to build outreach with K-12 schools throughout Florida, our goal is to interact with innovative teachers and administrators to publish student work and engagement.

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