Yale’s Tales

Those of us who write things for Arlington Today want to give a shout-out to those who wrote things for the 2022 Sheri Capehart Animal Essay Contest. The winners of the contest were  celebrated during an event downtown last week.

The contest, in its 21st year, is open annually to students who reside in Arlington and attend public, charter, and home schools in the city limits. Former City Council Member Sheri Capehart, for whom the contest is named, is an inspiration as a community leader in animal advocacy and student education in responsible pet ownership.

Winning essays this year from third, fourth, fifth and sixth grade students were full of creative ideas that ran the animalis gamut from collars for cats signifying their unique personalities to development of apps and gizmos to help animals and shelters in the future, as well as the proverbial more. Here are your 2022 winners …

• First Place – Kyleigh Zuniga, St. Maria Goretti Catholic School

• Second Place – Serenity Robinson, Johns Elementary

• Third Place – Ashley Mwangi, Thelma Jones Elementary

Fourth Grade
Essay Topic: How do you think animals communicate with people?

• First Place – Brycen Van Cleave, Mary Moore Elementary

• Second Place – Grace Krueger, Mary Moore Elementary

• Third Place – Annabelle Stahl, St. Joseph Catholic School

Fifth Grade
Essay Topic: If you could make one rule for the world to follow about animals and everyone had to follow it…what would that rule be?

• First Place – Natanael Mendoza, Blanton Elementary

• Second Place – Faith Tran, Mary Moore Elementary

• Third Place – Kysen Richards, Mary Moore Elementary

Sixth Grade
Essay Topic: In 2060 how will animal shelters be different than they are today?

• First Place – Genevieve Goodsell, Wood Elementary

• Second Place – Anthony Costanza, Wood Elementary

• Third Place – Isabella Morales, Wood Elementary

Sponsors of the essay contest are Spring Creek Barbeque, EECU, University of Texas at Arlington TRIO Pre-College Programs, Sheri Capehart, and Arlington Animal Services.