Academy students win Minnesota Twins Jackie Robinson essay contest

Three sixth-grade students from Lakes International Language Academy (LILA) won top honors for their entries in the 2013 Jackie Robinson Essay Contest sponsored annually by the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball club. Alejandra Gallegos (first place), Jack Callahan (second place) and Leala Lundmark (third place) received tickets to Jackie and Me at the Children’s Theatre Company as well as tickets to the baseball game at Target Field on Jackie Robinson Day, April 15.

The student essays explored the impact of legendary player Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in professional sports. A Twins film crew recorded the students reading their work, and the video was featured on the centerfield screen as part of the Jackie Robinson Day pre-game highlights. Centerfielder Aaron Hicks presented framed certificates and jerseys to Alejandra and three other first-place essay contest winners during a pre-game award ceremony. In addition, LILA students and staff sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in Spanish and in English during the seventh-inning stretch.

The essay contest was organized by the Minnesota Twins Emerging Markets Department in conjunction with Major League Baseball’s recognition of Jackie Robinson Day. LILA, as a public International Baccalaureate World School, has partnered with the Twins for the past few years to help celebrate diversity and promote global citizenship. LILA is a tuition-free charter elementary school offering both Spanish and Mandarin Chinese immersion tracks for K-6 children. School tours for prospective families are available. Please call 651-464-0771 today to reserve a space. For more information visit www.LakesInternational.org.