The WWII Home Front Essay Contest is a project of Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front NHP and Rosie the Riveter Trust.

The WWII Home Front Essay Contest committee made up of Jane Bartke, Michelle Itagaki, Betty Soskin, Rosemary Corbin and Carla Koop  have selected the winners of the first WWII Home Front Essay Contest for 9th-11th graders in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. They are:

• First place: Michelle Saechao, Middle College High School
• Second place: Jennifer Ezeokoli, Middle College High School
• Third Place: Chris Xie, Middle College High School

 

Each participant was asked to write about "Newcomers, Yesterday and Today," comparing migration and immigration during WWII and today. Each student had to conduct an interview, do research using at least 3 sources, and write an essay of 3-4 pages.

The committee awarded first prize to Michelle because they were impressed with Michelle's well-organized essay, which featured good development of ideas and smooth transitions. The essay was broad ranging and gave balanced attention to a variety of groups of home front workers. She made an interesting connection to the Vietnam War and interviewed a participant in that war who fled from Southeast Asia and eventually settled in Richmond.

The committee also appreciated Michelle's culminating metaphor of the "salad bowl" to explain her opinion about how US culture allows immigrants to maintain their own unique identities while contributing to the rich mixture that is American society. Overall, Michelle's essay did a great job of making connections between WWII immigrants and migrants, and more recent newcomers who contribute so much to our community.

The winners will receive gift card awards at the Home Front Festival on Oct. 2.

Congratulations to the winners!

For more information, contact:

Carla Koop
Outreach Coordinator, National Park Service
Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front NHP
2566 Macdonald Avenue
Richmond CA 94804
510-307-8702
510-232-5504 fax
http://www.nps.gov/rori/