Congratulations to Skyla Gurganus!
Skyla Gurganus, a student at Luther Porter Jackson Middle School in Surry County, has been selected to represent Region 1 in the 2025 Expressions of Freedom Contest where student work was chosen to be placed in a time capsule in the restored pedestal of the statue of George Washington located in historic Trafalgar Square, London, England. This statue serves as a reminder of the enduring friendship and shared ideals, principles, and sacrifices between America and England.
In the Expressions of Freedom Competition, The Virginia Department of Education, in partnership with VA250, invited students in grades 3-12 to share their ideas and perspectives through artwork, videos, audio recordings, or essays in response to the question: “What does Freedom mean to you?”
Gurganus learned of the contest from her history teacher and wrote a poem on the assigned theme. You can read her poem online.
She has been invited to a special recognition ceremony at the state capitol in Richmond, Virginia, that will include representatives from the offices of the Governor of Virginia, the First Lady of Virginia, the Secretary of Education, the Executive Director of VA250, and the Virginia Department of Education.
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