Middle School student wins in essay contest

Earlier this year, Optimum teamed up with TelevisaUnivision to host an essay contest in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Students from the 21 different states that the company serves were invited to compete for a chance to win a Grand Prize scholarship.

Contestants were asked to describe a person or group in the community in 500 words or less that have helped keep their community connected to their culture.

Giana Canales, a seventh-grade student at South Side Middle School was selected as one of the four grand prize winners of the contest for her essay on the Hispanic Brotherhood.

“I was in shock,” she told the Herald. “I didn’t really believe it at first.”

She said that her guidance counselor helped motivate her to enter with an essay about how the Hispanic Brotherhood has helped provide after-school programs for kids and services for senior citizens.

The not-for-profit organization was established in 1984 by a small group of Hispanic residents in Rockville Centre to assist with the fast-growing population of immigrants from different Spanish language cultures. Since then, the organization’s outreach has grown to include four of the surrounding communities, including Freeport, Oceanside, Lynbrook, and Baldwin.

Giana said that her topic was a “no brainer” as members of the Hispanic Brotherhood had previously helped specific members of her family in years past. She said that the essay took her about a month to write, and that while she is surprised to have won, is most gratified knowing that her hard work had paid off.

“Optimum is proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month through our annual student essay contest, which gives students the opportunity to share a personal story of the impact of Hispanic heritage on the communities where our customers and employees live and work,” Jen Ostrager, Optimum’s senior vice president of community affairs said in a statement. “We appreciate TelevisaUnivision’s partnership in this contest, the educators who encouraged and sponsored the student submissions, and most importantly, the students for their thoughtful and inspiring entries. Congratulations to our four grand prize winners and finalists.”

Educators who sponsored the highest number of essay submissions from their students were also presented with a special gift from Optimum and TelevisaUnivision.

The winning entrants and runners up will be recognized during a live virtual event on Thursday, Dec. 15, after press time, celebrating the diverse histories, cultures, and contributions of generations of Hispanic Americans across the country.