On Thursday January 15, 2015 Walgreens Expressions Challenge celebrated its annual Chicago Awards Ceremony at the Chicago Cultural Center. Walgreens awarded over $15,000 to eight students, their schools, and teachers, for their outspoken creative work towards teen health advocacy. Walgreens local and corporate management joined John Gremer, Walgreens Director of Community Affairs, to award prizes to the students. Winning students were chosen from over 1,500 participants.
Fox news Good Day Chicago anchor, Darlene Hill, was the emcee for the event. Guest were delighted to hear keynote guest speakers Dr. Stephanie Whyte, Chief Health Officer for Chicago Public School and motivational youth speaker Dwayne Bryant, CEO of Inner Vision International.
A total of six high schools were represented at the ceremony, five of them being Chicago Public Schools.
Finalists Mariam Keita posing with Jamillah Kareem, Principal of Winnie Mandela Options High School
They were:
Winnie Mandela Options High School
Steven T. Mather High School
Simeon Career Academy High School
Farragut Career Academy High School
Percy L. Julian High School
and south suburban Homewood Flossmoor High School
The night ended with students being honored
Mather High School Principal Christie Jones and teacher Danny Mendoza pose with finalist Huy Tran
The winners were:
Mariam Keita – First Place Creative Writing – Winnie Mandela Options High School
Courtney Pugh – Second Place Creative Writing – Homewood Flossmoor High School
Huy Tran – First Place Visual Arts – Mather High School
Manuel Espinoza – Second Place Visual Arts – Farragut Career Academy High School
Manuel Mendoza and his teacher Lorelei MacBeth representing Farragut Career Academy
Antwon Funches – First Place Media Arts – Simeon Career Academy
Crystal Woods, LaShaunta Moore, and Terrance Black– Second Place Media Arts – Percy L. Julian High School
About Expression Challenge
The Walgreens Expressions Challenge is an incentive based contest for high school students ages 14 to 18 that allows teens to showcase their creative perspective on sexual responsibility and health lifestyle choice. The Expressions Challenge motivates teens to voice their opinion on critical life issues they face daily, including bullying, through creative writing, visual arts and media arts. The contest run October 1 through November 30. For more information visit www.expressionschallenge.com
Top left: Dr. Stephanie Whyte, Dwayne Bryant, Walgreens Director of Community affairs, John Gremer, Walgreens store managers Phebe Rogers, Reggie Johnson, Vincent Sawyer, and Fox news anchor Darlene Hill pose with finalists.
Top right: Dwayne Bryant poses with John Gremer and community leader Vincent Sawyer from Walgreens
Bottom left: Darlene Hill talks about Walgreens Expressions Challenge
Bottom right: Dwayne Bryant engages audience with keynote speech