Alabama Youth Honor ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Message 50 Years Later

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. –  Today, 50 years after its publication, the book “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Alabama writer Harper Lee still has a powerful message that is being received by young, Alabama writers.

A group of school winners in The University of Alabama’s ninth annual “To Kill a Mockingbird” Essay Contest were recently recognized on campus with a luncheon, awards ceremony and reception with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and UA faculty member Rick Bragg.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” is one of America’s best-loved novels. It captures the ambiance and conflicts of small-town life in the Deep South during the Depression. Lee is one of the most important contributors to literature of the American South.

“The year 2010 marks the 50th year since the publication of Nelle Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and an even longer time from the era that the novel presents,” said Dr. Fran Oneal, assistant director of the UA Honors Program. “Since then, this country has advanced technologically, legally and socially, but Lee’s book remains the iconic work of American fiction.”

In recognition of the 50th anniversary of the book’s publication, the students were asked to write 600-750 word essays about how the message of the book has remained relevant to today’s modern, technological society.

The essay contest was created to honor “To Kill a Mockingbird” author Lee’s induction into the Alabama Academy of Honor in 2001.

Audrey Wilson, from Daphne, was recognized as this year’s statewide winner for her essay, in which she wrote, “No matter what struggles arise in our constantly shifting world, Harper Lee’s aesthetically crafted novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ remains relevant.  Her unforgettable characters, the setting in which she places them, and the inspiring plot she creates allow her to make an enduring statement not only about race relations, nor even simply on prejudice, but on the inner workings of our society and its problems.  By preserving the morality that is all too rare in our world today, Lee affirms the idea that will continue to inspire for years to come, that, eventually, those who stand for integrity will rise above those who do not, and one day, all mockingbirds will sing.” As the state winner, Wilson received $500 and $500 was also awarded to her school, Bayside Academy.

Bragg, professor in UA’s department of journalism, is known for his writing on the South and contemporary America. His most famous work, “All Over but the Shoutin’,” is a critically acclaimed autobiography about growing up in the South. The book is found on the reading lists of universities throughout the country. Bragg’s other books include “The Prince of Frogtown,” an exploration of his father’s life in their hometown of Jacksonville, and “The Most They Ever Had,” stories of men and women who worked in the Jacksonville cotton mill.

The essay contest is sponsored by the UA Honors College, the Alabama State Department of Education, The Alabama Center for the Book, the UA Offices of Academic Affairs, Alumni Affairs and Undergraduate Admissions, and the University Libraries.

Contest submissions are accepted not only from public and private high school students but also from eligible home-schooled students. Each participating school chooses a winning entry, and a monetary prize is given to each of these winners. A panel of judges from the UA Honors College selects the statewide student winner.

The 2010 school winners included:

Lacey Alexander of Shades Valley High School

Avery Arroyo of Tarrant High School

Jordan Atkinson of Winfield City High School

Lisa Baugh of Charles Henderson High School

Tymeshiae Beaty of Lanett High School

Loraleigh Briscoe of Douglas High School

Danielle Brown of Russell County High School

Jordyn Clowdus of Glencoe High School

Narshika Campbell of Booker T. Washington High School

Cameron Casey of Florence High School

Neil Chakvaborti of Paul W. Bryant High School

Susan Chesnut of Cherokee County High School

Kate Collier of Florence Freshman Center

Sarah Coston of Evangel Classical Christian School

Rachel Davis of Fayette County High School

Dillion Everett of Robertsdale High School

Jessica Flournoy of Edgewood Academy

Sarah Elizabeth Henderson of Decatur High School

Tabatha Higginbotham of Locust Fork High School

Carley Hovell of Athens High School

Amber Hudson of Elba High School

Shelton Johnson of Bullock County High School

Bree Keown of Hartselle High School

Emily Kinateder of Kate Duncan Smith DAR High School

Victoria Lann of Haleyville High School

Anna Lassiter of Northside Methodist Academy

Kinna MacNeill of Shelby County High School

Andrew McGehee of Walker High School

Samantha McLeod of Good Hope High School

Cody Mitchell of Brilliant High School

Kaitlin Moore of Pelham High School

Joshua Owens of Buckhorn High School

Taylor Phillips of Southern Choctaw High School

Cassidy Ray of Smith Station High School

Justine Ray of Notasulga High School

Rachael Sherrer of John T. Morgan Academy

Miles Smith of Davidson High School

Emily Stallworth of Monroe Academy

Katie Styron of Brookwood High School

Sarah Tarnakow of Shades Mountain Christian School

Erin Taylor of Fort Dale Academy

Diana Thomson of The Donoho School

Shawn Tuteja of The Altamont School

Hannah Webster of Davidson High School

Hannah Welsh of Cherokee County High School

Jenny Wool of The Montgomery Academy

Justin Wright of Jefferson County International Baccalaureate

Kaylee Wyman of A.P. Brewer High School