Bridgeport, CT, April 11, 2011 - Congressman Jim Himes and Mayor Bill Finch joined Cablevision representatives at Thurgood Marshall Middle School at The Six to Six Interdistrict Magnet School to recognize John Hewitt, the Grand Prize middle school winner of Power to Learn's 3rd annual Hispanic Heritage Month essay contest.  Also attending the event were Cooperative Educational Services Executive Director Dr. Evan Pitkoff, Principal Chris LaBelle, Bridgeport Caribe Youth League President John Torres, and an audience of fellow students including John's triplet siblings and his parents. At the awards ceremony, the 7th grader from Fairfield, CT, read his winning essay and was presented with a $5,000 savings bond by Cablevision representatives.  A $2,500 donation was also made by Cablevision in honor of John to the Bridgeport Caribe Youth League.

Video of Event  (01:34 mins)

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In celebration of "Hispanic Heritage Month," Cablevision's Power to Learn and Olympusat, Inc. sponsored the essay contest for both middle-school and high-school students. This year's topic was The Hispanic Experience in New York.  Students were asked to describe someone or something that they believe has had a vital role in shaping the Hispanic experience in the greater New York area and how their own life in the greater New York area has been shaped and influenced by Hispanic people, culture and language.  Other prizes included an Apple iPad, an HP® laptop computer and a Netbook. Olympusat, Inc. is the provider of such Spanish language channels as Latele Novela Network, TV Chile, Momentum, ¡Sorpresa! and La Familia Cosmovisión, all available on iO TV® as part of the iO en español programming service.

"My congratulations to John Hewitt for his outstanding essay that pays tribute to the generations of Hispanics who have so enriched our community and our nation.  Each day Latino culture continues to shape the American experience with a strong commitment to family, love of country, and respect for others," said Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4).  "I also applaud Cablevision for its leadership in creating this essay contest that provides students in the tri-state area with the opportunity to learn about the Latino experience."

Mayor Finch concurred, noting, "I also applaud John Hewitt for his insightful essay and for being a role model in his school and community.  It's through opportunities like this that students today can gain a better understanding of a culture that is so rich in history and tradition."