Fourth-Grade Winners of Creative Writing Contest 'Why I'm Glad America is a Nation of Immigrants' Feted by the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Southern California Chapter.

Feature/Legal/Education Writers

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 26, 2000

Four Los Angeles-Area Elementary School Children to Receive Cash

Prizes at Awards Reception on April 30, 2000

Four Los Angeles-area children from both public and private schools have been selected as the Los Angeles winners of the fourth annual nationwide creative writing contest, "Why I'm Glad America is a Nation of Immigrants," co-sponsored by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the American Immigration Law Foundation (AILF).

The contest was created to nurture awareness amongst youth of the many benefits of U.S. immigration.

The local fifth-grade winners are Ashley Oppenberg (Chatsworth Hills Academy; private) first place; Justin Taylor-Lapointe (Mount Washington; LAUSD) second place; Samuel Kianmahd (Sinai Akiba Academy, private) third place; and Christy Hamilton (Brentwood Science Magnet School, LAUSD) Special Recognition of Achievement Award.

The first-place local winner of the contest has been entered to compete with other local winners nationwide for a trip for four to Chicago, where the winner will be honored at the national conference of the AILA in June. The national winner will be announced on May 1, 2000.

Cash prizes of $200.00, $100.00 and $50.00 will be presented to the Los Angeles-area top three winners. Special Recognition goes to Christy Hamilton, a fourth-grader.

A special reception hosted by the Southern California Chapter of AILA at the Regal Biltmore Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles will be hosted on Sunday, April 30, 2000, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. All children who submitted an essay will be admitted free.

Contest judges included the honorable Ronald Lew, U.S. District Court; Genethia Hudley Hayes, LAUSD Board of Education; and honorable Tony Cardenas, California State Assembly. The judges were asked to select the best essays and poems based on their content, presentation, creativity and message.

First-place winner, Ashley Oppenberg, wrote an essay commenting on the state of immigration in our country today:

Today in America we appreciate the differences in people. There

are only a few who don't practice tolerance and say mean things

about people who are of a different race or cultural background.

Thank goodness most people living in this country have learned to

care about one another and understand how wonderful it is to learn

different ways of life from the immigrants who have settled here.

Second-place winner, Justin Taylor-Lapointe, wrote a poem that pays homage to the music immigrants have brought to America:

The vibes of music

from different lands,

African drums, Indian flutes,

Mexican maracas, Italian operas

help people relax, get together

and feel happy

Third-place winner, Samuel Kianmahd, composed an essay reminding us that the first immigrants to America were the Pilgrims:

Immigrants have come to America since the Pilgrims' time. Pilgrims

helped Indians to make different things and Indians taught the

Pilgrims to survive. Since that time, citizens of our nation have

been helping immigrants to adjust to the new environment and in

return they have learned new and useful things from the

immigrants.

Christy Hamilton, who won the Special Recognition of Achievement Award, writes that:

American immigrants help us form a beautiful collage of physical

features, colors and languages. Our ethnic diversity is a ray of

sunshine to all that believe that humanity came from one origin. I

have many friends that have emigrated from other countries; now I

believe with all my heart; man is my brother; woman is my sister

and humanity is my family. I am glad America is a nation of

immigrants.

Tickets to the AILA Awards Luncheon are available by contacting Maggie Sanchez at 909/606-6651. Cost per ticket is $25.00. Proceeds from the event will benefit the AILF.

Founded in 1987, the AILF is a tax-exempt organization established to increase public understanding of immigration law and policy, and to promote public service and professional excellence in the immigration law field, and to advance due process and basic constitutional and human rights in immigration law and its administration.

Established in 1946, the AILA is a national bar association of more than 6,000 attorneys who practice immigration law. AILA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that provides members with continuing legal education, information, professional services and expertise to 35 chapters, and is committed to advocating for due process and fundamental fairness in U.S. immigration law. AILA members represent tens of thousands of U.S. families, businesses, foreign students, entertainers, athletes and asylum seekers.