Thirteen 5th graders from Wellesley’s seven public elementary schools were recognized at the start of the June School Committee meeting at Town Hall for their written work on diversity and inclusion. They tackled topics such as Malala Yousafazi’s struggle to become educated in Pakistan under Taliban rule; a first-person narrative about being different; poems about racism, tolerance, and inclusion; and more.

The yearly essay contest was spearheaded by the World of Wellesley (WOW) organization, which is dedicated to making Wellesley a welcoming community where diversity is celebrated. WOW president Michelle Chalmers and Superintendent David Lussier were on hand to congratulate students on their work,

Here are the names of the students, in alphabetical order, and the school each represented:

Loucas Delaney, Bates
Sienna DeSutter, Upham
Asia Foland, Hunnewell
Ellery Franceschini, Fiske
Violet Griffith, Bates
Cailyn Kim, Hunnewell
Maya Kim, Sprague
Mina Lien, Schofield
Gwen Mihal, Sprague
John Puopolo, Hardy
Bridget Reidy, Schofield
Dylan Sobol, Fiske
Paul Woods, Hardy