Our 2016 Writing Contest Awards

This year marks the 14th anniversary of the Union’s annual writing contest for high school students and the competition grows more popular each year. For the 2016 edition of the contest, almost 300 entries were submitted.

The fact that this has been a political year seemed to influence many of the students. The two most popular essay topics concerned the presidential race and public safety vs. the Second Amendment. Global warming was also a hot topic, if you’ll excuse the pun!

Immigration was a common narrative topic, with several students writing about their own personal experiences. The entries this year once again made it very clear that the Union’s family has some very pensive, considerate and creative young people.

The writing competition was once again sponsored by the Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation, which has long supported efforts to make society more responsive to progressive ideas and more supportive of grass roots organizations including unions. In conceiving the contest 14 years ago, the foundation’s aim was to promote creativity among the children of members of our union and to empower them to develop their full potential. The contest is open to high school students in grades 10, 11 and 12.

This year’s writing contest entries leaves a deep impression that the students who submitted them are wise beyond their years. Social consciousness was a prevalent emotion found in many of the entries, as it always is, but this year many of the students reflected a sense of community as well. In addition, the entries indicated that the students follow current events closely and aren’t afraid to express their opinions. As in the past, many of the essays, poems and narratives displayed inventiveness and cleverness that might not be expected from high school students.

“When the writing contest began all those years ago we thought it would be an interesting challenge to many of our members’ children,” Hotel Trades Council President Peter Ward said. “It is obvious that they have risen to this challenge. They have displayed great creativity and independent thinking. We are very grateful to the Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation for giving our members’ children this excellent opportunity to express their opinions and show their artistic skills.”

The prize money offered by the contest is always an incentive for the students. First place winners in the three categories won $2,000 each, second place winners received $1,000 and third place winners received $300 each. There were also a number of honorable mention awards of $250 each. The grand prize, for best overall entry was awarded to Julia Rukaj, whose mom, Katrina Rukaj, works at the Courtyard Marriott. Julia’s grand prize was $3,000. Laurel Rubin, daughter of Donald Rubin and granddaughter of Jay Rubin, who was the first president of the Hotel Trades Council, Alex Gardner, who is the Executive Director of the Shelly and Donald Rubin Foundation, and Evelyn Jones Rich, a former director of the foundation, were on hand to congratulate the students.

Anyone who has the slightest feeling of pessimism about the future would have felt differently at the awards ceremony. The kind of thoughtful poems and essays that were submitted, along with the gripping first person narratives, would make anyone think that our future is quite secure in the hands these intelligent young students.