Posted: 5/6/2024

The School District of Palm Beach County announces the winners of the 2024 Haitian Heritage Month Essay Contest. Three winners were chosen based on their responses to the topic: “Explain the major challenges that Haitian and Haitian-American students face in the American education system, and how they can overcome them.”

Congratulations to this year’s contest winners:

• Paulency Merove, 10th grade – Suncoast Community High School (first place).
• Gloria Alexis, 11th grade – Palm Beach Lakes Community High School (second place).
• Chris Dalice, 12th grade – Palm Beach Gardens Community High School (third place).

Additionally, three students received prizes as runner-ups:

• Mikhaelle Gabriel, 12th grade – Boynton Beach Community High School (fourth place).
• Mohammad Hossein Zarif, 9th grade – Spanish River Community High School (fifth place).
• Laura Mitchell Pierre, 12th grade – Forest Hill Community High School (sixth place).

The first place winner receives an award certificate, and $250. The second place winner receives an award certificate, and $150. The third place winner receives an award certificate, and $100. Fourth, fifth, and sixth place winners will each receive a $50 gift card.

Winners of the contest will be recognized during the Haitian Heritage Book Showcase and Essay Contest Winners Presentation at the Lantana Road Branch Library on Saturday, May 11 at 2 p.m. where they will receive their prizes and read their essays to the public. 

The goal of the contest is to increase the self-esteem of Haitian students by promoting their history and culture, as well as encouraging them to conduct historical research about Haiti, its people, and their contributions to the history of the world. The essay contest began in 2004 as part of the District’s celebration of May as Haitian Heritage Month. 

The Haitian Heritage Month activities and essay contest is sponsored by Gaskov Clergé Foundation, Educa Vision Inc., and Triple VMC Global Services.