Minnetonka City Council recognized the winners of Minnetonka’s first ever essay contest. The contest challenged students living in or attending school in Minnetonka to write an essay about belonging. Students were split between grades 6-9 and grades 10-12. The essays were judged by a panel of judges from the DEI Commission and Senior Advisory Board.

Ninth grader, Halo Keller was recognized for her poem “Hey, Black child, you belong,” and tenth grader, Elenie Yange Mbarga won her category for “Being different is weird, until it becomes powerful.” Read the winning essays on the contest page.

Additionally, winners received a check for $50 from Blue Marble Review, a locally operated online literary journal showcasing work from young writers between ages 13-22.