Student Wins Trip To England

Charlotte Observer, The (NC)
1995-01-13
Section: METRO
Edition: FOUR
Page: 3C

STUDENT WINS TRIP TO ENGLAND

DEBORAH PARKHILL MULLIS, Staff Writer

With visions of the Buckingham Palace guards in their heads, 11 junior high and high school students were wondering Thursday which one of them had won a 10-day all-expense-paid trip to England. Most of the semifinalists in The Young Columbus Contest were too excited to eat.

Sitting on the edge of her seat, clutching her semifinalist certificate to her chest, Perry Ann Moniuszko was stunned when her name was announced as winner. ``I've never won a writing contest and I've never been overseas. This is so exciting. I can't believe it.'' whispered the teary-eyed, 17-year-old senior from Providence High School near Matthews.

This year's contest, sponsored by Parade Magazine and The Observer, asked students to develop a solution to alleviate crime in schools and explain why they think their solution would work. It was an optional writing assignment from her English teacher, Patricia Sutherland. Perry felt she had something to say about school violence.

``I was in a really rough junior high school in the projects. . . . I don't think it's good to go to school in a hostile environment,'' she explained.

In her paper, Perry said, temporary solutions such as hall monitors, locker checks and banning book bags only make students uncomfortable and gives them another reason to be angry and frustrated.

``The solution, I believe, must take effect early in the child's life. Unconditional love and devotion to all children . . . would eliminate the source of violence at its roots.'' 

An experience connected with soccer influenced Perry's opinion. While participating in the Soccer in the Streets program, she visited inner-city neighborhoods and taught children, ages 5 to 8, to play soccer. After practice one boy would always jump in her car and want to come home with her, she said.

``I understood how kids can get involved in gangs because they don't get love at home,'' she said.

Perry plans to study biology and become a doctor, ``perhaps a pediatrician - I like working with young kids.''

Young Columbus runner-up was Molly Strull of East Mecklenburg High in Charlotte. The other nine semifinalists were: Cathleen King of Kennedy Middle School in Charlotte; Monika Moore of Statesville High; David Brandon Chapman of East Lincoln High in Denver, N.C.; Crystal Carter of Northside Christian Academy in Charlotte; Kevan Sherbine of Cheraw Highin Cheraw, S.C.; Kimara London of South Mecklenburg High; Whitney Martin Drake of Holbrook Junior High in Gastonia; and Jennifer Marie Wilson and Tanya Benge, both of Providence High.

The judges were former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt; David Hains, director of public information for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools; radio personality Sheri Lynch of WBT (107.9 FM); and Vintage Foster, Sheila Solomon and Mark Wilfley, all of The Observer.