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Essay winners announced at 'Posada'
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| By: Norm Rowland,
Staff |
December
22, 2003 |
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Lauren Pryzant, a seventh-grader at Spring
Branch Middle School, was acclaimed winner of the $500 first prize
in the Spring Branch heritage essay contest, announced last Thursday
night at a Mexican Posada held in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart
Neighborhood Market at 7960 Long
Point.
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Three other seventh-graders were finalists in the essay
contest commissioned as part of the Spring Branch Multicultural
Festival last October. The contest was open to all seventh graders
in the Spring Branch Independent School District.
Runnerup
was Jordan Phillips of Memorial Middle School. Laura Bergersen of
Spring Forest Middle was third and Danny Suraphath of Westchester
Academy was fourth.
"The judges were tremendously impressed
by all the essays, so much so we added an award for fourth," said
Victor Alvarez, master of ceremonies for the evening and the chief
architect of the multicultural festival.
Pryzant took home
$500 in gift certificates donated by MetroNational Corporation for
stores in Memorial City Mall. Phillips received $300 in gift
certificates, Bergersen $200 and Suraphath $50.
Pryzant's
school, Spring Branch Middle, received a check for $1,000, presented
by store manager Danny Safady.
"I'm going to use the money to buy
Christmas presents for my family and friends and some nice things
for myself," Pryzant said as the young crowd, estimated at more than
700, roared in approval.
The announcement of the essay
winners was just a small part of the evening, which included music,
dancing, a pastorela, a short play commemorating Mary's and Joseph's
search for lodging in Bethlehem, and drawings for prizes that
included dinners, trips, clothing and the like that took place while
Alvarez and others tossed candy and prizes to the children in the
audience.
A huge pinata provided by Wal-Mart was won by
Carmen Nunez.
The event was sponsored primarily by the Spring
Branch Super Neighborhoods, Wal-Mart and Marina Tours and Travel,
which donated a trip to Mexico. Others who helped make the event a
success included Homestyle Buffet, Klass, VFW Post No. 8790, and
Ridgecrest Civic Association.
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| ©Memorial-Spring Branch Sun 2003
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