Mrs. Kelly Steele, Temple Middle School Quest teacher, and her English Language Arts students participated in the annual Daughters of the American Revolution American History Essay Contest. This year's theme included a study of an immigrant's journey and stay at Ellis Island. Students had the task of researching the history of Ellis Island and its visitors who would become citizens in the U.S. They then were asked to write a narrative letter as a person who was staying at Ellis Island and explaining to others back home what their experience was like.

Mrs. Steele stated, "The students did a fantastic job of exploring the immigrants' point-of-view. While students don't typically do as much narrative writing in the upper grades, this essay taught them so much. They really had to dig into research and imagine themselves in someone else's shoes. One student, Grace Eckstein, traced her roots all the way back to Ellis Island and shared primary documents of her Italian heritage."

Students who placed in the essay contest for the Abraham Baldwin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution were as follows:

8th Grade, 1st Place - Ms. Emily Hummer

7th Grade, 1st Place - Andrew Shirley

7th Grade, 2nd Place - Taylor Elrod