Each year, the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial Scholarship committee seeks a graduating Twin Ports senior committed to racial and social justice. This year, a poem helped committee members find her.
The committee recently awarded its annual $1,000 scholarship to Salisa Grant, who graduated from Central High School on Tuesday.
"Salisa was selected because in her application she demonstrated -- through her original poem as well as her contributions to school and community -- her commitment to Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial's values of racial justice, reconciliation and healing," Gail Schoenfelder of the scholarship committee wrote in an e-mail.
The scholarship is named for three young black men lynched by a Duluth mob in June 1920.
"I've heard the story of Clayton, Jackson, McGhie since middle school, learning about them and the history of it," Grant said. "I was happy even being considered for the scholarship."
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People applying for the scholarship need to submit some sort of original production, such as an essay, a PowerPoint presentation or a poem.
"I've been writing poems ever since I was a kid in elementary school," Grant said. "It lets me express feelings that I can't in any other way."
Grant describes "And So I Write" -- the poem she wrote for her scholarship application -- as a compilation of things she has experienced or seen in the world.
"All together it has my message of how, when you really think about it, race is not important as long as we can look into each other's eyes and see the common thread of human beings," she said.
The scholarship committee found the poet insightful, Schoenfelder said. But it was only one reason she won.
"She is very involved in her school and in the community in terms of giving back," Schoenfelder said.
At school Grant was active with the student council, choir and drama club. Her community work included efforts for Get Out the Vote, World AIDS Day, Take Back the Night, Boys and Girls Carnival and the Share Food Drive.
Grant plans to attend Hamline University in St. Paul. She's considering a major in social work or education.
