Hartford Public Schools is proud to announce our Middle School students who earned prizes in the 2025 Anti-Hate Essay Contest. The Milan Cultural Association promotes a proactive approach to hate, racism, and antisemitism in grades 6-8 via the Hartford Public Schools Anti-Hate Essay Contest. The purpose of the contest is to encourage our young writers to think deeply about issues that affect them and pursue writing as an avenue for promoting awareness and change.
The creativity displayed by our students is wonderful and it was applauded by our Scoring Committee. The committee consisted of teachers, coaches, specialists, and administrators who reviewed seventy-five submissions. We are pleased to announce the following winners:
Grade | Place | Student | School |
6 | 1 | Leandro Merejildo-Pires | Noah Webster Microsociety Magnet School |
2 | Calvin Becce | Montessori Magnet School at Annie Fisher | |
3 | Amia Villafane | Dwight Bellizzi Dual Language Academy | |
7 | 1 | Cathy Chimney | Noah Webster Microsociety Magnet School |
2 | Sofyia Green | Noah Webster Microsociety Magnet School | |
3 | Alexander Meade | Noah Webster Microsociety Magnet School | |
8 | 1 | Sammy Zamakhchar | Breakthrough Magnet School South |
2 | Andrew Nkhum | Noah Webster Microsociety Magnet School | |
3 | Giselle Mack | Global Communications Academy |
The Noah Webster Anti-Hate Essay Contest Winners (missing is Sofyia Green)
Calvin Becce of Montessori Magnet School at Annie Fisher
Amia Villafane of Dwight Bellizzi Dual Language Academy
Sammy Zamakhchar of Breakthrough Magnet School South. A Subtle Stand was about standing up to racism that a peer was experiencing during COVID. So proud of Sammy!
Giselle Mack of Global Communications Academy
Our thanks and appreciation goes to all our Language Arts teachers for all they do to promote writing and creativity in our classrooms.