Liana Murphy, a student from Washburn Rural High School, was awarded 1st place in the Wilberta Williams Black History Essay Contest on Februrary 29th, an annual event organized by the Topeka Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. The contest encourages students from grades 3 through 12 across Shawnee, Douglas, and surrounding counties to learn African American history by writing original essays on African American individuals, groups, or topics.
The contest aims to promote awareness and appreciation of African American contributions to society while providing students an opportunity to hone public speaking skills and research abilities. Participants were required to choose a subject, meet specific word count requirements (400 words for high school students), and submit essays that showcased clarity, accuracy, and proper grammar. Entries were judged on originality, accuracy, clarity, and grammar.
In addition to Liana’s achievement, several other Auburn-Washburn students were recognized during the awards ceremony. The full list of winners included:
1st Place:
- Liana Murphy (9th-12th grades) | Washburn Rural High School
- Easton Schmidlein (6th-8th grades) | Indian Hills Elementary School
- Lillyanna Kimball (3rd-5th grades) | Jay Shideler Elementary School
2nd Place:
- Jules Bley (3rd-5th grades) | Jay Shideler Elementary School
- Sophia Johnson (3rd-5th grades) | Farley Elementary School
3rd Place:
- Donaven Wiles (6th-8th grades) | Wanamaker Elementary School
Congratulations to Liana and all the winners for their hard work and dedication to honoring African American hist
