7th Annual LAPD Essay Contest Winners

May 27, 2010- In a breakfast ceremony held at the new police administration building, the 10 winners of the 7th Annual LAPD Essay Contest were presented a certificate of recognition by Chief Charlie Beck for their winning submissions.  
In 350 words or less, students were asked: As a Los Angeles Police Department officer, what important safety tips would you give middle school students about the risks of using the Internet, personal websites, instant messaging, social and video networking, online gaming or mobile Internet devices.  This year 800 submissions were received, the highest number in the writing competitions 7th year history.

The 10 LAPD Essay Contest winners are:
Miranda  Acosta, Grade 7, Saint Bernard Catholic School
Richard Ayala, Grade 7, Hollenbeck Middle School
Samantha Burg, Grade 6, 32nd Street / USC K – 12 Magnet
Mathew Cina, Grade 8, Saints Felicitas and Perpetua
Yoselyn Garcia, Grade 8, South Gate Middle School
Brenda Jacobo, Grade 8, South Gate Middle School
Dominique James, Grade 7, Saint Bernard Catholic School
Janelle Jordan, Grade 6, Our Lady of Lourdes School
Sanjuana Martinez, Grade 7, Sun Valley Middle School
John Wwalker, Grade 6, Our Lady of Lourdes School

The LAPD Essay Contest is open to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students who are enrolled in the Los Angeles Unified School District and schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.  It is open for four weeks in March.  Winners were given gift packages which included tickets to Universal Studios, Aquarium of the Pacific, a performance of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, movie tickets from the William H. Parker Foundation, vouchers to Speedzone and Boomers Park, and bike helmets from the Hollenbeck Youth Center. Each of the 10 winning essays will be featured on the Department’s web site, one each week for the next ten weeks. Congratulations to all the winners and many thanks to our sponsors.