BURKE- A local student has won a national essay award from Scholastic, on her essay about over coming Cerebral Palsy. She was honored in front of her school where Jackie Robinson's daughter gave out the award.
Sadie Chamberlain a student at the Burke Town School wrote an easy for the Breaking Barriers easy contest. The contest is in commemoration or Jackie Robinson, who was the first African American baseball player to play in Major League Baseball.
Jackie Robinson was born January 31st, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. He would get his start in baseball for the Kansas City Monarchs, which was part of the Negro Leagues, in 1945. In 1947, Robinson would make his MLB debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers as the First African American baseball player in the league. This would end more than 60 years of segregation in the sport. Robinson continue to play in the MLB until 1956, when her retired at the age of 37. Robinson later would be the first African American to be entered into the baseball hall of fame, for both his on field qualifications along side the impact he had on the game itself.
There were over 17,000 entries for the contest, which included the United States and Canada. The rules of the contest was in no more than 1,500 words; write about the values that they believed Robinson used in his life, and connect it to an obstacle they had to over come in their lives.
"I chose courage and determination to help me overcome my cerebral palsy". Chamberlain said. Cerebral Palsy is a congenital disorder of movement, muscle tone, or posture. In many cases this disorder may cut off the patients communication but luckily for Chamberlain her case does not.
When she found out that she had won the contest she could not believe it. "Everything went numb, I was ecstatic, I was trembling, shaking, crying, laughing". Sharon Robinson came a presented the award on April 25th. Chamberlin is a little more nervous about having to meet her for a second time. "I get to be presented the award at the World Series, so I will get to see her again". She will get to go on the field to accept this award in October.