Books

Students receive national writing contest awards

CINCINNATI HERALD — Four young students at Winton Hills Academy in Cincinnati recently traveled to Philadelphia to receive their first place awards in a national book writing competition for their book honoring Civil Rights icon Marian Spencer, 98, of Cincinnati. This is the second book for which students at the school have won a national award, and these Cincinnati Public Schools girls are only nine and ten years old.

Published

7 years ago

April 9, 2019

Oakland Post

By Dan Yount

Four young students at Winton Hills Academy in Cincinnati recently traveled to Philadelphia to receive their first place awards in a national book writing competition for their book honoring Civil Rights icon Marian Spencer, 98, of Cincinnati. This is the second book for which students at the school have won a national award, and these Cincinnati Public Schools girls are only nine and ten years old. This group of students not only wrote and illustrated the book, but interviewed Mrs. Spencer at her residence at Twin Towers Senior Living Community.

The 20-page book, titled “Marian Spencer: A Light in the Darkness,” which chronicles Spencer’s life and accomplishments as a fighter for social justice in the Cincinnati area, was written by Serenity Mills, Janyia New, Aliyana O’Neal and Nakiyah Ray.

“We’re so proud of these girls, and we know what they’re capable of,” Julie Dellecave, the girls’ fourth-grade teacher. “They are learning that working hard at something and really doing their best pays off in life. And I think that’s really an example to all of our students here.”

“I expect them to do well in everything, especially in school,” Spencer said of the girls when they visited her in December to present her with the book. “Our future is in them.”

“They are amazing students, and this was a great outlet for them to show the talent they have,’’ said Shelby Zimmer, resource coordinator at the school. “Also, Julie Dellecave is an amazing teacher, providing encouragement and direction.’’

In accepting the award at the National Youth Foundation Second Annual Girls Rally in Philadelphia, the girls said they would rather see Marian Spencer than Beyoncé, because Mrs. Spencer has been such an inspiration to them, and they wanted to be just like her, Zimmer said.

The students chose to write their book about Spencer after Joe Wilmers, a retired Winton Hills Academy social worker, told them about her and all her accomplishments

Each of the girls received a $125 cash prize, which they said they plan to save.

The post Students receive national writing contest awards appeared first on The Cincinnati Herald.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

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14 hours ago

January 2, 2026

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BOOK REVIEW: Let Me Be Real With You

At first look, this book might seem like just any other self-help offering. It’s inspirational for casual reader and business reader, both, just like most books in this genre. Dig a little deeper, though, and you’ll spot what makes “Let Me Be Real With You” stand out.

Published

5 days ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

Book cover of Let Me Be Real With You and author Arshay Cooper. Courtesy of HarperOne.

By Terri Schlichenmeyer

Author: Arshay Cooper, Copyright: c.2025, Publisher: HarperOne, SRP: $26.00, Page Count: 40 Pages

The hole you’re in is a deep one.

You can see the clouds above, and they look like a storm; you sense the wind, and it’s cold. It’s dark down there, and lonesome, too. You feel like you were born there — but how do you get out of the deep hole you’re in? You read the new book “Let Me Be Real With You” by Arshay Cooper. You find a hand-up and bring someone with you.

In the months after his first book was published, Cooper received a lot of requests to speak to youth about his life growing up on the West Side of Chicago, his struggles, and his many accomplishments. He was poor, bullied, and belittled, but he knew that if he could escape those things, he would succeed. He focused on doing what was best, and right. He looked for mentors and strove to understand when opportunities presented themselves.

Still, his early life left him with trauma. Here, he shows how it’s overcome-able.

We must always have hope, Cooper says, but hope is “merely the catalyst for action. The hope we receive must transform into the hope we give.”

Learn to tell your own story, as honestly as you know it. Be open to suggestions, and don’t dismiss them without great thought. Know that masculinity doesn’t equal stoicism; we are hard-wired to need other people, and sharing “pain and relatability can dissipate shame and foster empathy in powerful ways.”

Remember that trauma is intergenerational, and it can be passed down from parent to child. Let your mentors see your potential. Get therapy, if you need it; there’s no shame in it, and it will help, if you learn to trust it. Enjoy the outdoors when you can. Learn self-control. Give back to your community. Respect your financial wellness. Embrace your intelligence. Pick your friends and relationships wisely. “Do it afraid.”

And finally, remember that “You were born to soar to great heights and rule the sky.”

You just needed someone to tell you that.

With a willingness to discuss the struggles he tackled in the past, Cooper writes with a solidly honest voice that’s exceptionally believable, and not one bit dramatic. You won’t find unnecessarily embellished stories or tall tales here, either; Cooper instead uses his real experiences to help readers understand that there are few things that are truly insurmountable. He then explains how one’s past can shape one’s future, and how today’s actions can change the future of the world.

“Let Me Be Real With You” is full of motivation, and instruction that’s do-able for adults and teens. If you need that, or if you’ve vowed to do better this coming year, it might help make you whole.