Prejudice and stereotypes affect the way we perceive and interact with each other, even when we don’t realize it. How do stereotypes affect our society and how do they damage human rights?
A tough question to consider, but middle school students Elijah Sailer-Haugland, Ailsa Schmidt, Ashley Chavez, Olivia Ogwangi, Anne Bensen, Teague Bogenhold, Hannah Bruns, Isabel Lieb and Katie Nguyen answered it best.
Their essays were selected from more than 110 essays submitted by middle school students from Roseville Area Middle School in Roseville’s annual Human Rights Essay Contest.
The Roseville City Council will recognize the winning students on April 7 at 6:00 p.m. during the City Council meeting. The community is encouraged to attend and congratulate the essay contest winners. The event will be cablecast on Channel 16.
Sailer-Haugland took first place honors in the contest. He is taught by Gary Schwingle and Jeff Bibeau. In his essay, Sailer-Haugland discussed stereotyping because of a disability, and the assumptions people make about a person with a disability. He will receive $100 and his essay will be entered in the League of Human Rights Commissions statewide contest.
Schmidt and Chavez tied for second place. They are both taught by Lee Thao. Ogwangi received third place. She is taught by Crystal Archer.
The five students who received honorable mentions include Bruns, who is taught by Archer; Lieb and Bogenhold who are taught by Schwingle and Bibeau; and Nguyen and Bensen who are taught by Thao. All of the winning students are in eighth grade except Nguyen, who is in seventh grade.
Each year the Roseville Human Rights Commission sponsors the essay contest. Commissioners evaluate essays based upon content and composition and select the best essays. Commissioners do not know who wrote the essays until after winners have been selected to ensure an unbiased review. Copies of winning essays are available at www.cityofroseville.com/humanrights.