The Roswell Public Library Writing Contest hosted an essay contest with the theme, “Why is Bilingualism Important?”
Award winners were announced during the Dia De Los Muertos event at the library at the end of October. Best entries were chosen from among elementary, middle and high school students.
Donations from the Linda Hays Trust and Hispano Chamber of Commerce allowed scholarships to be given to the winners of this contest, ranging from $100 to $500.
One of the students who won this contest also read her entry to members of the Roswell Independent School District board on Jan. 10.
Sierra Middle School student Maria Victoria Vargas, 13, read a Spanish-language version of her essay, which was originally written in English for the library contest. The school district included both versions in the information packet that school board members receive so they can be prepared for their meetings.
Vargas’ essay detailed why it was important to society, and for her specifically, to be bilingual. She explained that bilingualism is valuable for her because she is an immigrant from a country where Spanish is the only language.
After mentioning how it provides her with a variety of opportunities, she went on to explain something perhaps even more significant:
“For my family, it is very important that I speak English because the situation in my country is very delicate. That is one of the main reasons we moved here to the United States.”
Vargas also spoke to the school board members in Spanish after she finished reading her essay.
One of the board members asked Vargas about her plans for the future. She said she intends to earn good grades and graduate college.
“The idea is to celebrate another culture,” Enid Costley, the library’s director, said about the essay contest, which was the library’s first writing contest of this kind.
Vargas and another local student, Alyssa Miramontes of Sidney Gutierrez Middle School, tied for first place at the middle school level. Both of these girls’ essays were well done but different.
Vargas provided some of her own personal experience in the piece while Miramontes used more than one writing form in her entry to express her thoughts, Costley said.
A significant portion of Miramontes’ entry was a poem she wrote titled “Lost but Found.” A written explanation preceding the poem explained why she wants to learn more languages. Because it can keep one’s mind sharp and “be the key to one’s heart,” she noted.
She started off her poem by asking “Do you speak another language but want to be heard?“ It ends with the observation that “even though sometimes messy everyone’s voice deserves to be heard.”
The other winners of the essay contest were Kolya Esparza and Christian Knudsen, first and second place winners at the high school level, and Lianna Silvas, first place winner for the elementary school level.
“The judges had to make hard decisions,” Costley said. “Some of the entries focused on research while others included antidotal reasons. Still others were sweet with their simplicity.”
One of the sweetest — and to the point — was this portion of the essay submitted by Silvas:
“Why should people be bilingual?” she asked. “They can understand people better, people can also go to different countries or states and understand what people are saying to you and what you are saying to them.”
