Hamilton ES student wins Texas history contest

April 26, 2012—Hamilton Elementary School fourth-grade student Spencer McGown was selected as the first-place winner in the Fourth Grade Texas History Contest, sponsored by the San Jacinto chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.

McGown’s essay chronicled the life and accomplishments of Bigfoot Wallace from the viewpoint of Mr. Wallace. McGown has been invited to the awards reception, scheduled for May 5 at the Pioneer Memorial Log House Museum. As a district winner, McGown’s essay has been entered in the state contest, with judging to take place in the near future.

“When presenting the essay contest to my class, I remarked that one way to get your essay noticed was to be different, to not write an ordinary research essay.  Spencer took that to heart and wrote from Bigfoot Wallace's point of view,” said Hamilton third- and fourth-grade teacher Betty Collette. “I am so very proud of his amazing essay and his achievement. Spencer enjoys learning about the history of Texas almost as much as I do.”