Milwaukee Public Schools students among contest winners at the César E. Chávez Birthday Celebration

Milwaukee Public Schools announced the students who received honors at the César E. Chávez Birthday Celebration Wednesday afternoon. The third-annual celebration was held virtually and hosted by the Marcus Performing Arts Center. MPS had 22 students from the district place in the art, spoken word, and writing competitions. The celebration can be viewed here.

Art Contest Winners

Elementary

• First Place: Cesar Santacruz-Bailan - Lincoln Avenue School
• Second Place: Tyler Vuong - Lincoln Avenue School
• Third Place: Natalia Valdivia - Forest Home Avenue School
• Honorable Mention: Cataleya Andrade - Forest Home Avenue School

Middle School

• First Place: Hamelin Daryannah - Manitoba School
• Second Place: Ximena Marin Castañeda - Academia De Languaje Y Bellas Artes (ALBA) 
• Third Place: Galy Rojas - ALBA
• Honorable Mention: Maximilien Beltran - ALBA

Spoken Word Contest Winners

Elementary

• First Place: Bryan Zarate - Lincoln Avenue School
• Second Place: Brandon Zarate - Lincoln Avenue School
• Third Place: Pablo Soto - Forest Home Avenue School

High School

• Brandon A. Gorton - Reagan High School

Writing Contest Winners

Kindergarten - 2nd Grade

• First Place: Cristobal Sanchez - ALBA
• Second Place: Yahir Jonapa Aruizu - ALBA
• Third Place: Ashley Vargas Martinez - ALBA
• Honorable Mention: Arisbeth Arredondo - ALBA

3rd - 5th Grade

• First Place: Yellian Cancel - Lowell International Elementary School
• Honorable Mention: Andres Patino - Manitoba School

6th - 8th Grade

• Second Place: Julianna Sanchez - Manitoba School
• Third Place: Jaydien Curry - Manitoba School
• Honorable Mention: Adamariz Garcia Ruiz - Manitoba School

9th - 12th Grade

• First Place: Brandon A. Gorton - Reagan High School

César E. Chávez was an activist who fought for equal rights for farmworkers across the United States beginning in the 1960s until his death in 1993. He, with Dolores Huerta, founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) Union where he fought for civil rights for Latinos and farmworkers.