Tommy Wan, a student at The Village School, a pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade private day and boarding school in Houston, received a $2,000 scholarship from the City of Houston for his participation in the 30th annual Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) essay contest.
Nearly 300 students from across the area were invited to submit essays on how the City of Houston could strengthen the City and improve the quality of life for residents.
Wan’s submission, “Empowering Youth Civic Engagement,” came in first place and addressed the creation of a centralized civic engagement program for today’s youth living in District F.
Here is an excerpt from his submission: “Education is a force to be reckoned with. It’s a passport to greater opportunity for working-class families, a weapon to enact change, and an avenue to equalize those within communities. The District F Office, Parks and Recreation, and the Mayor’s Office of Education will recognize the need for youth intervention and programming. However, we are missing a decisive factor in youth programming – civic engagement.”
The City chose only five students to receive scholarships. The Mayor’s office held a ceremony for the award winners on May 4 at Houston City Hall.
Wan plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin to study civil engineering and government.
For more information about The Village School, visit www.thevillageschool.com.