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A dozen students from Tipton-Durant Middle School were named winners in an essay and poster contest themed “How Voting Affects Me in My School, Community and My Future.”

JaMeria Hardy, Adreoanna Heatley, Australia McQueen, Earlaysha Bender, Jaikari Colvin, JaMya Richardson, Courvoisea Fails, Aarron Bonner, Sakiyah Bonner, JaMya Braddy, Ameria Jackson and JaQuarious Watts each earned a $100 cash prize. For their collective efforts, the students also were rewarded with African American books added to their school’s library.

“These books will provide foundational knowledge of their ancestry,” said Wanda Tyler, a teacher at Tipton-Durant. “These books that focus on African American Heritage are pivotal to the success rate of the students of modern time. These books inspire the students to be creative in their own light to be the best they can be. Through gaining insight from this form of research, these students will look at themselves in a mirror to understand and realize who and what they can be.”

Tyler said Attorney Faya Rose Toure, Sister Yomi, the Bridge Crossing Jubilee Committee and Wallace Community College Selma played key roles in making the contest a success.

She added the students had plenty to gain from participating in the contest.

“The one thing that I hope the students learned is to always give their best effort in anything they do and their reward will be big,” Tyler said. “Also, whatever they do, they represent more than themselves. They represent their parents, school and community.”