16 March 2009
BLACK HISTORY MONTH ESSAY AWARDS
The United States embassy in Banjul recently awarded the winner of the black history month essay competition. The award ceremony was held at the embassy complex along Kairaba avenue in Kanifing.
The competition, the second of its kind in The Gambia, was designed to expose young students mainly from senor secondary schools to African-American history and achievements made by African Americans. Twenty one students participated in this year's competition and the best three essays were selected. Alhassan Darboe, a student of Nusrat Senior School, emerged winner, while Foday Jawo, a student of Gambia Senior Secondary School and Seedy Njie of Glory Baptist Senior Secondary School booked second and third places respectively. The other participants were also awarded certificates of appreciation
Speaking at the award ceremony, the US ambassador Barry Wells said that the objective of the competition was to encourage Senor Schools students to read and write about African American history with a particular emphasis on how that history relates to the history of The Gambia. Ambassador Wells also said that the celebration of black history month provides an opportunity to acknowledge the historical, political, social and economic contributions of African Americans throughout the world.
For his part Alhassan Darboe expressed delight over the award. He called on his fellow students to continue reading hard and one day they may also be lucky.
The competition, the second of its kind in The Gambia, was designed to expose young students mainly from senor secondary schools to African-American history and achievements made by African Americans. Twenty one students participated in this year's competition and the best three essays were selected. Alhassan Darboe, a student of Nusrat Senior School, emerged winner, while Foday Jawo, a student of Gambia Senior Secondary School and Seedy Njie of Glory Baptist Senior Secondary School booked second and third places respectively. The other participants were also awarded certificates of appreciation
Speaking at the award ceremony, the US ambassador Barry Wells said that the objective of the competition was to encourage Senor Schools students to read and write about African American history with a particular emphasis on how that history relates to the history of The Gambia. Ambassador Wells also said that the celebration of black history month provides an opportunity to acknowledge the historical, political, social and economic contributions of African Americans throughout the world.
For his part Alhassan Darboe expressed delight over the award. He called on his fellow students to continue reading hard and one day they may also be lucky.
