Two local high school students have been awarded cash prizes for their contributions to the Old Croton Aqueduct Essay Competition.
Lesley Escobar of Riverside High School won first prize and a cash award of $500. Gianna Angelique Ortiz of Sacred Heart High School was awarded $300 for second place. The awards come with matching contributions to each girl’s school as well as class field trips to visit the historic trail and tunnel.
A total of ten contestants from local high schools, including Riverside, Sacred Heart, Roosevelt, Lincoln, and the Barack Obama School for Social Justice, took part in the essay contest. Judges praised each participant for their “outstanding compositions and hard work.”
The Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct sponsored the creative writing contest to raise awareness of the historic state park in Westchester County, and the 26-mile trail that extends from the New Croton Reservoir in Cortlandt to the trailhead off McLean Avenue in Yonkers.
Construction on the impressive aqueduct system was started in 1837 as a way to bring freshwater from the Croton River directly into New York City. Construction was completed in 1842, but plans were quickly made to expand the system as New York continued its rapid expansion during the industrial revolution and mid-century immigration.
At the time, the engineering marvel was funneling up to 100 million gallons of water into New York City every day. The original Croton Aqueduct continued to provide freshwater to city residents until 1965. In 1968, 26.2 miles of the above-ground route was transformed into a scenic multi-use trail, popular for hiking, walking, biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and birdwatching.
The winning essays feature personal reflections of the history and vitality of the aqueduct, tunnels, and trails beloved by locals and visitors alike.
In her essay entitled, The Tale of the Incredible Old Croton Aqueduct, first-place winner Lesley Escobar writes with passion and enthusiasm for the history of the region:
“Let’s take a blast to the past, nearly 200 years ago, where we find ourselves in the 1830s with a bright and promising state called New York. The state had streets full of homes followed by patches of farms, people were out in the town on horseback, and it seemed like most of Europe was coming over to enjoy the glory too. It was a grand time, but even this majestic place could not escape inevitable hardships.”
Second-prize winner Gianna Angelique Ortiz crafted a short fiction piece entitled, The Old Croton Aqueduct. In this short excerpt, she artfully sets the scene around the historic landmark:
“The rising of life cast a shining hue across the light blue morning sky. The golden fingers of light lit up the scenery around me making the view breathtaking. Her eyes met the sepia brown sign on the wooden post that read, ‘Old Croton Aqueduct, State Historic Park’. The robust trees and the magnificent lush summer green grass gave her a sense of joy because she loved nature more than anything.”
The winning essays can be viewed at The Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct website at www.aqueduct.org. The essay contest was held to promote the protection and preservation of the Old Croton Aqueduct and trail.
