Ryan Tzou, an 8th grader in Red Pod, was selected as the winner of State Representative Stephanie Thomas’s Women’s History Essay Contest in honor of Women’s History Month in March.

Representative Thomas surprised Ryan during his social studies class on Wednesday, May 5, and awarded him a special citation for his work.

In a statement, Representative Thomas said that, “Ryan told the triumphant story of his grandmother, a Chinese immigrant who experienced countless obstacles in her life that she never let hinder her dreams and goals.”

According to the Representative, “Ryan’s love and admiration for his grandmother poured through the carefully constructed words in his essay, which made it both inspirational and heart-warming to read.”
In honor of Women’s History Month in March, Representative Thomas organized an essay contest for seventh and eighth graders in her district, which includes the towns of Norwalk, Wilton and Westport. Contestants were asked to share the story of a woman they admired and why in a 500-word essay.

After awarding Ryan a citation, the Representative stayed in class for an impromptu question and answer session. Representative Thomas answered questions about what her day-to-day routine looks like, what issues Connecticut is facing and why she decided to run for office.

Read Ryan’s award winning essay on the “Ursus” website!