Wheatley Eighth Graders Earn Top Honors in Essay Competition

Photo: (From left) Wheatley School teacher Veronica Ade, eighth graders Kyle Lau, Ammar Arif, and Olivia Zeng, and Director of Mathematics and Interim Director of Science Dr. Robert Teseo.
Photo courtesy of the East Williston Union Free School District.

By Williston Post Staff

Three eighth-grade students from The Wheatley School—Ammar Arif, Kyle Lau, and Olivia Zeng—have earned top awards in the South Asian American Women’s Alliance (SAAWA) Essay Writing Competition. Competing against middle and high school students, the talented trio secured first, second, and third place, respectively.

This year’s essay prompt challenged students to explore the question: “Is artificial intelligence a threat to human job security at the present or in the future?” Encouraged by their Intro to STEM and Independent STEM Research courses, students crafted essays drawing from personal experiences and research articles to develop their arguments.

The South Asian American Women’s Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering leadership and innovation in STEM fields. Through competitions like this, SAAWA aims to inspire young minds to engage in critical thinking and prepare for the future workforce.

The East Williston Union Free School District congratulates Ammar, Kyle, and Olivia on their outstanding achievements and commends their teacher, Veronica Ade, for her support in guiding students toward excellence.