University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Celebrate Black History Month
2/24/2011 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Over 550 elementary children from six metro schools attended the event, which included a tour of the Williams Arena locker rooms, a question and answer session with current Golden Gopher student-athletes, physical activities and group games, sessions with speakers from the Black Student Union, a pizza lunch and an essay contest.
Before Tuesdays’ event, the fifth and sixth graders from Harvest Prep and Best Academy, Maxfield Magnet, Park Brook, Richard Green Central, Sojourner Truth Academy and W.I.S.E. Charter schools submitted essays and the winners were announced during the closing speech on Tuesday. The essays had to be written about one of four individuals: Prince (Actor/Entertainer/Singer & Musician), Mary K Boyd (St. Paul Educator and L. Superintendent), Robyn Robinson (Former political candidate, L. Governor of MN, Broadcaster, & CEO) or Keith Ellison (Lawyer and Congressman).
The first place winners were Jesse Hotley (Harvest Prep), Samantha Chaney (W.I.S.E. Charter), Noemi Salas (Sojourner Truth Academy), Dakota Banks (Park Brook), Talea Alee Williams (Maxfield Magnet) and Jakelin Mendoza (Richard Green Central.) Each received a laptop computer, coupons for local restaurants and tickets to Gopher men’s and women’s basketball games. The runners up in the essay contest were Khayvon Ross (Harvest Prep), Leo Baker (Richard Green Central), Tom Duong (Maxfield Magnet), Ne-Dlisen Zimay (Park Brook), Lanja Andriaminaja (Sojourner Truth Academy), and Ser William (W.I.S.E. Charter). All entrants received a certificate of participation in the contest, and all of the student attendees were given a t-shirt and a goody bag.
Student-athletes participated at the celebration as well, by facilitating activities, comprising the question and answer panel board, and being group leaders for the eight different student rotations. Members of men’s basketball, women’s soccer, women’s gymnastics, women’s hockey, women’s cross country, women’s rowing, women’s track and field, men’s track and field, women’s basketball, softball, volleyball, football, women’s swimming and men’s swimming were all volunteering at the event.
Release written by CHAMPS Life Skills Intern Ellie Lijewski
