State Legislators Host “Women in Connecticut History” Essay Contest in Shelton

From left to right: State Senator Kevin C. Kelly; Perry Hill School Students: Stephanie Schofield, Abby Brand, Meghan Pineau, Alyssa Bretan; St. Joseph School Students: Dominic Zaleski, Ariana Wheeler; and State Representative Larry Miller.

Shelton – State Senator Kevin C. Kelly (R-21) and Larry Miller (R-122) hosted an essay contest ceremony with sixth grade students from Perry Hill School and St. Joseph School at the Plumb Memorial Library on Tuesday, April 23rd. The event was hosted in partnership with Naugatuck Valley Savings and Loan which presented awards for the winning essays.

“The writing skills and expression of the students from Perry Hill and St. Joseph schools is truly impressive,” said Senator Kelly. “Their essays reveal an incredible amount of research and detailed writing skills about the important role women played in Connecticut history. This contest helped our students to better understand the importance of effective writing and communication. I would like to thank everyone who participated in this event, especially the students, parents and teachers, as well as the Naugatuck Valley Savings and Loan for its sponsorship to recognize these remarkable efforts.”

At the event, the winners each read their essay and received a citation from the Connecticut General Assembly. Naugatuck Valley Savings and Loan also generously presented gift cards to each of the students. The essay topic was “Important Women in Connecticut History and How Their Contributions to the State and Nation Affect Me.”

“It was great to see the tremendous work by all of the students who participated in this essay contest,” said Rep. Miller. “Each of them found impressive personal relevance for an important woman in Connecticut history, and each of them should be congratulated for their research, hard work and the knowledge they gained from this exercise.”

“Naugatuck Valley Savings and Loan is honored to have been a partner in the essay contest with Senator Kelly and Rep. Miller,” said Pam Ellsworth, Branch Manager of Naugatuck Valley Savings and Loan. “The essays were incredible and we congratulate all of the winners. We look forward to being a partner again next year.”

Four winning essays from Perry Hill School and three winning essays from St. Joseph School were selected from the essays that were judged. Below is a list of the winners:

Perry Hill School

1st Place: Abby Brand
2nd Place: Alyssa Bretan
3rd Place: Meghan Pineau
4th Place: Stephanie Schofield

St. Joseph School

1st Place: Ariana Wheeler
2nd Place: Dominic Zaleski
3rd Place: Alexa Micciche

The students were joined by their parents, grandparents, school administrators, teachers and members of the public who gathered to recognize their accomplishments.

Naugatuck Valley Savings and Loan is a federally chartered savings bank that was founded in 1922 by local business and community leaders to serve the financial needs of the residents of the Greater Naugatuck Valley. There are branches located in Beacon Falls, Cheshire, Derby, Naugatuck, Seymour, Shelton, Southbury and Waterbury. Their Shelton branch is located at 504 Bridgeport Avenue, Suite 300. For more information, please visit www.nvsl.com.