Museum of Work & Culture Celebrates Students’ Creative Talents and Civic Pride
“Woonsocket Proud” Essay and Art Contest Winners Announced
(WOONSOCKET, R.I.) – On May 31, the Museum of Work & Culture, Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt, and Superintendent Dr. Patrick McGee announced the winners of the Woonsocket Proud essay and art contest at an Open House for participating teachers, students, and their families.
The contest was part of the Museum’s “Woonsocket Proud” program, a civic pride initiative with Woonsocket native and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Napoleon Lajoie serving as an example of an individual who has stood as a point of pride for the city.
Each Woonsocket fifth-grader created a tile describing something they are proud of, be it a personal accomplishment or their family, school, or community. These pieces were then gathered together to create a mosaic-style board for each classroom. The exhibit will be on display in the Museum’s changing gallery space through June 9.
Winning classrooms included Ms. Erica Berek’s class from Harris Elementary, Mr. Steven Silverman’s class from Harris Elementary, and Ms. Lynn Renaud’s class from Leo A. Savoie Elementary. Each student in Ms. Berek’s class will receive a copy of Before the Babe, the Emperor by Greg Rubano, and the other classroom teachers will receive a package of Woonsocket history books for their classroom.
Additionally, the Museum sponsored an essay contest, asking students to reflect on Lajoie’s character and tenacity and explain how they planned to pursue their passion to become a person their community could be proud of. The Museum received nearly 200 entries from participating schools.
Essay contest judges include Mayor Baldelli-Hunt, Superintendent McGee, Director of the Newell D. Goff Center for Education and Public Programs at the Rhode Island Historical Society Geralyn Ducady, and Museum of Work & Culture Director Anne Conway.
Honorable mentions were received by Yenailis Brown from Kevin K. Coleman Elementary and Noah Cisse from Globe Park Elementary. Each received a copy of Rubano’s book & a Napoleon Lajoie city ornament. Nabou Thiam from Bernon Heights Elementary and Giovanni Collazo from Leo A. Savoie Elementary were awarded second and third place respectively. Each received a package of books & a Lajoie ornament.
The grand prize winner was Ashley Koala from Harris Elementary, who received Rubano’s book, a family membership to the Rhode Island Historical Society, and a Lajoie ornament.
Koala’s winning entry:
There are many different things that happen in the world. Some are good things, like how Napoleon followed his dreams. Some are bad things, like how Napoleon secretly snuck off to play baseball. I’m not going to be talking about the whole world right now. I am going to be talking about Woonsocket and how I can make it better. So now I am going to tell you how I can make Woonsocket better in the present and the future.
One way I can make Woonsocket better now is by spreading peace and love. If you spread peace there will be no fighting and everyone will be happy. For example, if everyone is mean to each other then there will be a lot of fighting and then something bad will happen. It is also good to spread love. If you spread love everyone will be happy.
Another way I can make Woonsocket better is by being thoughtful to others. If you are thoughtful to others then they will be thoughtful about you too. For example, if you see that your friend is sad and you go to your friend and try to cheer him or her up then that is being thoughtful. So, if you are thoughtful about others then they will do the same to you. Now on to the next way I can make Woonsocket better.
The last way I can make Woonsocket better is by becoming a doctor. I want to be a doctor because that was always my dream. When I become a doctor I will make a cure for every kind of cancer. Sometimes I might even go to a place for the homeless and check if they have cancer. If they do then I will cure them for free.
Those are all the different ways I can make Woonsocket proud. I hope you learned how you can make our city a better place.
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The clock is ticking for pro-Palestinian protesters on the campus of Columbia University. University administrators said they need to clear out the encampment in less than 24 hours or they will be forced to take action. Students want amnesty for any students who may have been arrested or suspended as a result of the protests. 
