Five Lansing Students Win Juneteenth Essay Scholarships

Five Lansing students walked away with scholarships Thursday after writing powerful essays about what freedom really means.

The Juneteenth Essay Contest and Scholarship Program awarded one essay prize and four scholarships to middle and high school students who explored how America's newest federal holiday connects to their lives. The annual competition challenges local youth to dig into history and discover how the past shapes their present.

Lillian Hobbs, a ninth grader, took first place in her category with an essay that framed Juneteenth as more than celebration. She wrote that the holiday offers "an opportunity to listen, learn, and support efforts that address ongoing inequalities."

Tyrese Griffin won the inaugural Willie D. Davis and Bonnie A. Jones Juneteenth Social Justice Scholarship. His essay explored how global freedom celebrations preserve history for future generations, reminding us "of the sacrifices made by those who fought for equality and justice."

Josie Smith and Lundyn Elam claimed first and second place in the Juneteenth Bellamy-Taylor Academic Talent Scholarship. Both connected historical freedom to today's ongoing work. "Freedom isn't one isolated moment in history, but is a responsibility that is ongoing," Smith wrote, echoing this year's national theme.

Symphany Horn, an Eastern High School senior, won the University of Olivet Academic Talent Scholarship. She drew a direct line from Juneteenth's legacy to young activists today, noting how "new ideas, energy, passion that they bring keep movements alive."

Why This Inspires

These students didn't just write about history. They wrote about responsibility, showing wisdom beyond their years in connecting past struggles to present challenges.

Their essays reveal a generation that understands freedom as a verb, not a noun. They see Juneteenth not as a finish line but as a reminder that the work continues.

This year's program also launched a student art exhibit, with Everett High School students creating paintings on 16-by-20-inch canvases using red, yellow, green and black. Art teacher Pam Collins, who has taught for 33 years, gave students creative freedom within those guidelines. The variety of interpretations now hangs at the Capital Area District Library's Downtown branch through June 30.

These young voices remind us that understanding history isn't about memorizing dates but about carrying forward the persistence of those who came before.