LHS JR., GARFIELD CHOIR EARN TOP PRIZES IN STOP THE HATE CONTEST

Congratulations to junior Jacquie Hudak on being selected as the grand prize winner of the annual Maltz Museum of Jewish History's Stop the Hate Youth Speak Out essay contest and to Garfield Middle School's seventh-grade choir on earning first place in the Youth Sing Out portion of the contest! Jacquie's essay on championing body positivity for girls in the face of a culture of body shaming was selected from among 10 finalists from Northeast Ohio schools. Jacquie's essay earned her a $20,000 scholarship and $5,000 for Lakewood High. The choir earned a $3,500 anti-bias grant for Garfield.

Now in its 14th year, the Stop the Hate contest is comprised of an essay writing contest and a songwriting contest for students in sixth to twelfth grade. The contests celebrate students who are committed to creating a more accepting, inclusive society by standing up and speaking out against bias and bigotry. Each year about 3,000 students enter both contests combined. This year's contestants were asked to writhe about how they have been and can continue to be an agent of positive change.