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Write Women Back Into History Essay Contest Celebration Day Sponsored by: Iowa Commission on the Status of Women Iowa Department of Education State Historical Society of Iowa Celebration Day Thursday, March 11, 2010 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Iowa State Capitol 8:30 a.m. Winners and their invited guests meet on the ground floor of the Capitol. Students, teachers, principals, and essay subjects are to pick up their nametags. 8:45 a.m. Introduction in the Senate, second floor, and meet with Senators. 9:30 a.m. Awards ceremony with Lt. Governor Patty Judge, Kennedy Conference Room, ground floor (G-9). 11 a.m. Tour of the Capitol. (Optional) If we get separated, meet us at the desk on the first floor of the Rotunda for the start of the tour. 12 noon Lunch on your own. (There is a cafeteria in the Capitol.) 1 p.m. Introduction in the House, second floor, and meet with Representatives. Awards Ceremony Thursday, March 11, 2010 9:30 a.m. Kennedy Conference Room Welcome by Lori SchraderBachar, Iowa Commission on the Status of Women and Cheryl Mullenbach, Iowa Department of Education Social Studies Consultant Proclamation Reading by Lt. Governor Patty Judge March as Women’s History Month Proclamation Awards Presentation by Lori SchraderBachar Wendy Kleve, Program for Women in Science and Engineering at Iowa State University Chris Brus, Women in Science and Engineering at the University of Iowa (As the students’ names are called, they should move forward to receive their prizes and certificate.) Students will be recognized in the following order: 1) 6-7th Grade Category 2) 8-9th Grade Category 3) Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math 6-7 Grade Category Brayton Presentation by Former Lt. Governor JoAnn Zimmerman, State Historical Society of Iowa Trustee Closing by Lori SchraderBachar 2010 Winners 6-7 Grade Category Essays First Place: Gaby Baker Teacher: Sarah Seligman Central Elementary, Alleman Second Place: Olivia Dawson Teacher: Sandra Drapeau George Washington Middle School, Dubuque Third Place: Tess Van Den Hurk-Moran Teacher: Erin Siefken Emmetsburg Middle School, Emmetsburg 8-9 Grade Category Essays First Place: Bethany Lehman Teacher: Suzan Turner Nashua-Plainfield Highs School, Nashua Second Place: Joy Gnade Teacher: Kristina Doll Midland Community School, Wyoming Third Place: Michaela Hoffelmeyer Teacher: Jill Deitz Winterset High School, Winterset Best Essays on Women in Science and Engineering for 6-7 Grades First Place: Emily Bonnstetter Teacher: Erin Siefken Emmetsburg Middle School, Emmetsburg Second Place: Alexander Erlandson Teacher: Katie Brown Prairie Creek Intermediate School, Cedar Rapids Best Essays on Women in Science and Engineering for 8-9 Grades First Place: Kierstyn Feld Teacher: Katharine Mulfinger Pleasant Valley Junior High School, LeClaire Editor’s Note: Essays were typed as submitted. 6-7 Grades: First Place Helen Brown Henderson by Gaby Baker “Helen Henderson, almost single-handedly, created, cajoled, communicated, shepherded, nurtured, and developed services for the mentally ill/retarded in Iowa - literally, bringing the services from the dark ages to their present status as among the most enviable in the nation.” - Michael V. Reagen, 1992 My older brother, Ian Baker, was born in September 1996 with Infantile Spasms and Cerebral Palsy. Ian is now 13 years old and is profoundly mentally and physically disabled. I chose Helen Brown Henderson for this essay because she has directly impacted my brother’s life and the life of my family. Helen Brown Henderson was a mother of a special needs child born in the late 1940s in Iowa. At that time, she found that there were no real services or programs for children with special needs. Helen spent many years finding people that were in positions to help support her child and other families that had children like her own. In 1950, she was a driving force in developing 95 chapters of the ARC (Association for Retarded Children) throughout Iowa. The Iowa ARC’s Mission Statement is to ensure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities receive the services, supports and opportunities necessary to fully realize their right to live, work and enjoy life in the community without discrimination. The Iowa ARC allows my family to get help with services and programs for my brother. The Iowa ARC helped to sponsor the first three Special Olympics. It is these organizations and their work with people with special needs that have allowed my brother to be a part of fun things like the Special Olympics state bowling competition this past Fall. Ian came home with a second place medal. Helen also spent a lot of time lobbying the Iowa State Legislature for improvements in educational opportunities for children with disabilities. Her efforts paid off with the state’s development of the Area Education Agencies (AEA). Established in 1975, the AEA provide additional services to schools including K-12 education support for children with special needs. Ian attends the Ruby Van Meter School in Des Moines and the local AEA helps provide his teachers with specialized training, materials, and specialized equipment to allow him to communicate and learn. His teacher has just ordered a Blink Eye Switch that may allow him to better communicate in school and at home. This is all through the help of our local AEA chapter. The Iowa AEA system is one of the best in the nation. Helen Henderson was also the executive director of the Polk County Health Services between 1978- 1983. There she continued to work for people with disabilities. These services are very important to my family because they allow Ian to continue to live at home with us. The Ill & Handicapped Waiver, provided through Polk County Health Services, have allowed Ian to get a lift system over his bed. This system helps get him in and out of bed. The waiver recently helped my parents get Ian a mobility van so that we are better able to get around as a family. Ian is also able to attend camp every other weekend and do all of the fun things that kids can do at camp. This also gives my family some time to rest between taking care of my brother. Helen Brown Henderson is an important woman in history. She has changed the lives of many people with special needs and their families here in Iowa. Because of her love and determination for her special needs child she has helped to provide programs and services to improve the lives of people with disabilities. She has made it possible for them to reach their full potential through educational programming and state services. Helen is important to me because she has made life easier for my brother and my family. Her work has allowed Ian to continue to live at home with us instead of in a state facility. We are able to get around as a family to do some of the things that others get to do like going out to church and dinner. My parents are able to find the services and equipment that they need to take care of him. But the most important thing for me is that we are a real family together. Source List The ARC of Iowa. Community Health Charities. Web. 1 Jan. 2010. <http://www.thearcofiowa.org/>. III and Handicapped HCBS Waiver. WorkWorld, 21 Apr. 2009. Web. 1 Jan. 2010. <http://www.workworld.org/wwwebhelp/ill_and_ handicapped_hcsb_waiver_iowa.htm>. Iowa Area Education Agencies. Iowa AEA, 2010. Web. 1 Jan. 2010. <http://www.iowaaea.org/>. The Iowa Commission on the Status of Women. ICSW. Web. 1 Jan. 2010. <http://www.state.ia.us/government/dhr/sw/about_ women/HOF/iafame-henderson.html>. Polk County Health Services. Polk County Government, 2010. Web. 1 Jan. 2010. <http://www.polkcountyiowa.gov/healthservices/> 6-7 Grades: Second Place The Rosa Parks of Iowa by Olivia Dawson Edna Griffin is a courageous and brave woman. I believe that she should be written back into history because she fights for what she believes in. She did not allow anyone to tell her that she could not be served in a public establishment. She stood up for what she believed in and worked for equal rights. Edna was born in 1909 in Kentucky. She was raised in New Hampshire and graduated from Fisk University. Then she married Stanley Griffin. In1947 they moved to Des Monies, Iowa. A year later she went to the Katz Drug Store sat at the lunch counter and ordered an ice cream soda and was refused service by Maurice Katz. Maurice told Edna that the store was “not equipped to serve colored people.” Edna picketed outside the store and sued Maurice Katz. The Iowa Supreme Court backed her claim that Mr. Katz violated the 1884 Iowa statute making it a crime to discriminate in public accommodations. An all-white jury awarded Ms. Griffin $1. Later on that year Ms. Griffin also organized the Des Moines chapter of the Congress on Racial Equality. (C.O.R.E.) She is a role model to all people especially women. I chose Edna because I think discrimination is one of the most important issues in history of the past, present, and future. I am a young African-American woman and I think it is very inspirational that Edna stood up for herself, her rights as a black woman, and her freedom. If we had more people in our world like Edna Griffin, it would truly be a place where many people would not feel like the victims of discrimination and racism. I hope anyone who has heard of Edna Griffin can learn from her story that you should always stand up for what you believe in no matter how afraid you may be.