• Aprill Brandon •
• Originally published January 19, 2009 at 12:02 a.m., updated January 19, 2009 at 12:02 a.m.

Crain Middle School sixth-grader Jonathan Ortega said he doesn't like to write, but that doesn't mean he isn't good at it.

The 12-year-old was the winner of the Dow Chemical Company African-American Network's 2009 MLK essay contest. Students were asked to write about how the contributions of African-American scientists and inventors affected their life and Ortega beat out 16 other area students with his essay on Andrew Beard, Benjamin Banneker and Wesley L. Harris.

"I was surprised. I didn't think I'd win," he said. "I don't like to write but I liked the essay topic. It makes me want to reach my goals."

The second-place winner was Michael Bernal and the third-place winner was Anne-Grayson Wozniak, both sixth-graders at Crain Middle School. Fourth place went to Rayven Hall from Patti Welder Middle School.

Essays were received from three other area schools, including Austwell-Tivoli Elementary, Seadrift School and Trinity Episcopal School.

With all three top-placing essays coming from Crain, English teacher Holly McCutcheon said she couldn't be prouder of her students.

"When I heard, it made me feel awesome. I'm so proud. There were many wonderful papers but these were exceptional," she said.

When writing his essay, Bernal decided to take a personal approach, writing about Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, the first person to successfully perform heart surgery.

"In 2008, my mom had heart surgery and without that surgery she would have died," he said.

Wozniak focused her essay on the inventors who have made life easier for pre-teen and teenage girls, specifically the people who invented door locks, hair products and cosmetics.

Although the three students have yet to study in-depth about the civil rights movement, all three agreed that honoring Martin Luther King Jr. each year is important.

"Everyone needs to be treated the same," Ortega said. "No matter what skin color."

The four winning students will be honored with trophies and certificates during a special program during Black History Month in February.

• FIRST PLACE WINNER JONATHAN ORTEGA'S ESSAY:

  Can you imagine living life without a plow, a clock, or not being able to use a cellular phone? The world now is used to having everything to make it easier for us ...

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FIRST PLACE WINNER JONATHAN ORTEGA'S ESSAY:

Can you imagine living life without a plow, a clock, or not being able to use a cellular phone? The world now is used to having everything to make it easier for us to do things. We are not used to being without. I am going to show how reading these biographies about Black inventors helped me understand where certain inventions came from.

During the life of Andrew Beard, he was a farmer, carpenter, blacksmith, a railroad worker, a businessman and finally an inventor. Andrew Beard was a slave and did not have many things. I am inspired by Andrew Beard because he tried very hard to be somebody in life. His invention of the plow helps me with my chores in the summer at my family's land. The plow is used to get the dirt ready to plant the seeds.

The second inventor I read about was Benjamin Banneker. He also came from a family of slaves but he was born a free man. Benjamin Banneker was a self-educated scientist, astronomer, inventor, writer and antislavery publicist. He built a striking clock just from wood. That striking clock helps me and many others by helping us keep track of time. By having a clock it helps me out so I can tell the time and know what I am going to do during the day.

Last but not least I am inspired by an Aerospace Engineer, Wesley L. Harris. He was raised in a family with parents that encouraged him to educate himself and learn all he could. He won many different awards in school. He now helps NASA make aircraft, space flights and helicopters that can travel to space to work on the satellites. Due to all his hard work at NASA, we are able to listen to music and talk on the cellular phones. I am very thankful for him because I love to be on my cellular phone.

After reading about these three different inventors, Andrew Beard, Benjamin Banneker and Wesley L. Harris, I have learned how important it is to appreciate all the little things in life. I learned how these inventors came from being poor and how they didn't let anything stop them. I will use what I have read to go far in what I decide to do when I grow up and I will not let anything stop me.

To read the other winning essays, go to www.VictoriaAdvocate.com, and click on the story.

The Impact On My Life

By Michael BernalAbout 9 weeks ago I was at school waiting to get out. I was very worried about my mom, when my grandma picked me up we headed to her house so I could stay there. Once I got there I called my dad to see how my mom's surgery went. He said she was okay and in recovery. All thanks to Dr. Daniel Hale Williams.

Well, Daniel Hale Williams didn't actually operate on my mom. In fact, if he didn't discover heart surgery my mom wouldn't have had surgery and might not have lived. Heart surgery is used to remove blockages, faulty valves and aneurysms. So it's a good thing he discovered heart surgery.

I'm extremely glad that the surgery went okay! If my mom had died I can't imagine the turmoil my life would have been. I wouldn't have been able to focus, my grades would drop. I wouldn't act like I usually act and would have had to move to Houston with my dad. I never acted like it but sometimes I just thank God that I still have a mom.

There are many products and discoveries made because of heart surgery. One I learned recently was Dr. David Ott's invention. Dr. David Ott invented the artificial valve. An artificial valve is supposed to keep patients from having shortness of breath and make sure blood is flowing through the arteries correctly. The artificial valve is affecting my life and will affect my life for a long, long time because it's keeping my mom alive.

To me, heart surgery is one of the most important discoveries. The reason is because roughly 1,168,128 people have heart surgery each year. If heart surgery was not discovered all those people would most likely die. So everybody in the world should be thankful for heart surgery being discovered.

How have the Contributions of African American Scientists and Inventors Impacted Our Lives?

By Anne-Grayson Wozniak

Wow! Sometimes I wonder how pre-teen and teenage girls survive! Just imagine our lives without door locks, hairbrushes, hair products and or cosmetics. I could see every girl going crazy. But, that doesn't happen. All thanks to three African-American inventors.

W.A. Martin is one of the inventors that has impacted my life by inventing the door lock. The door lock is such a great invention for me. His invention helps me keep my privacy. I like doing things without people bothering me, so the door lock is very helpful. Mr. W.A. Martin was very smart and thoughtful when he invented the door lock. Not only girls like me use door locks, but everyone in every place. It is mainly used for my privacy, and if he had not invented it, I might not have accomplished things that I previously accomplished. Don't you think that if it is on your door handle, you might as well use it?

Lydia O. Newman is my new life saver! She invented the wonderful hairbrush that works very easily. Lydia's invention led to better hairbrushes that we use today. Every brush has been based off of what she has planned. I admire her for making something that removes tangles and makes fixing hair a simple task. Now, I will never forget Lydia O. Newman. No girl should leave their house without using the hairbrush.

The most important inventions, well, maybe not, but these inventions were made by Madame C.J. Walker. These inventions are hair products and cosmetics. I know many girls who wear gel and hair spray in their hair. Sometimes I wear hair spray and some cosmetics. Most young girls don't use her inventions yet. Eventually, I will, but not yet. Hair spray has impacted my life because I don't have to worry about my hair sticking up or out of place. Also, I know that cosmetics will still exist and make me look better later on in my life. My guess is that many people don't realize that Madame C.J. Walker invented hair and cosmetic products. Thank you Madame C.J. Walker for thinking about my beauty.

Many people in our world don't realize that a lot of things we use today were first thought of and invented by African Americans. I know I didn't! There are so many African American inventors, and all are important. Without them, today we could have no privacy, walk with tangles in our hair and never be able to have cosmetics and hair products. As a matter of fact, we wouldn't even have a stoplight! Most of the important things in my life that I use had been thought of and invented by African Americans. Isn't that awesome? Everyone can make a difference by inventing things to impact a 12-year-old girls' life or just by simply speaking to people. All African inventors have now impacted my life because they make me want to help others and be a better person. Wow!

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