Strong Men & Women in Virginia History
2025 Creative Contest Finalists
Students addressed the following prompt: Honorees of the Strong Men & Women in Virginia History program have worked in a variety of ways to build a more equitable and inclusive society. (Biographies of past honorees can be seen here.) What is your dream for a better school, community or America? How do you participate in building a community that offers opportunity and a voice for everyone? Write a letter, short speech or story, song or poem; design a website or piece of digital art; or create a video addressing an honoree who inspires you and how you would participate in building an inclusive community.
Allison Arnett – Junior
School: Grafton High School
Principal: Stephen Gavin
My video addresses the prompt by sharing my opinion on why authentic history is important for young people and how i do and plan to continue to make changes to allow that to happen in my community. I then explain how Christy Coleman, a previous honoree, has inspired me and made contributes to this cause.
Alvaro Lobo Arispe – Senior
School: Washington Liberty High School
Principal: Antonio Hall
In today’s world, where inequalities are more visible than ever, the honorees of the Strong Men & Women in Virginia History program inspire us to work toward a more just and inclusive society. One honoree who stands out is Dr. Lerla G. Joseph, a trailblazer in both medicine and community advocacy. Dr. Joseph has dedicated her career to breaking down barriers in healthcare, ensuring that all individuals regardless of their background have access to quality care. Her work emphasizes not only the importance of medical treatment but also the role of compassion and equity in shaping a healthier society.
My dream for a better school and community is one where diversity is celebrated, and everyone a opportunity to succeed regardless of their background. I imagine a school where students from different races, cultures, and economic statuses all have equal access to resources, including advanced courses and extracurricular activities. A school community is one where each student feels safe, seen, and supported. This means addressing the unique challenges that students may face, such as language barriers or economic struggles, and providing them with the resources they need to thrive. By creating an environment that values diversity and promotes equity, we can create a school where every student can reach their fullest potential.
In my community, I dream of a space where all voices are valued, and everyone has an equal chance to contribute. This means creating more opportunities for leadership, especially for underrepresented groups. For example, increasing youth participation in providing mentorship programs for minority students could help ensure that the next generation is empowered to make meaningful changes. A community doesn’t just offer equal opportunities but it ensures those opportunities lead to real and lasting outcomes for all.
Personally, I contribute to building a community by participating in helping around the community like picking up around or helping around. I aim to make my voice a tool for positive change. Inspired by leaders like Dr. Joseph, I understand that everyone has a role in building a better future. Her dedication to addressing healthcare disparities motivates me to seek ways to help my community, whether through education, health, or social justice. Like the honorees of the Strong Men & Women in Virginia History program, I am committed to helping create a world where fairness and equality are realities for everyone.
Matthew Peng – Freshman
School: Meridian High School
Principal: Peter Laub
Read Matthew’s Poetry Submission
A challenge I notice in my school and community is the absence to include others. My project brings awareness by using found poetry, a technic where a piece of poetry only uses words and phrases found from another text. By using words and phrases from the book “The Crossover” by Kwame Alexander, I created a found poem emphasizing inclusion. The narrator is alone and unaccepted symbolized by the “closed doors.” The poem then goes into depth about how the narrator dreams of being accepted, illustrating ways one can be more inclusive. However, at the end, the poem suddenly turns back into reality, with the narrator finishing the poem with faint glimmer of hope. By making this poem, I hope to inspire one to build a more inclusive community.
Nikhita Saravanan – Senior
School: Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School
Principal: Robert Lowerre
This digital website provides background and information on this history, impact, and legacy of Maggie Lena Walker on her community. It also includes my personal inspiration from her journey and how I applied that to my own community and service projects. I hope to use this website as a platform to both educate others but also inspire others to make change.