"I am Palestinian but I am not the enemy." That is the first line of an essay written by Shaker Heights High School senior Lea Kayali. Her description of being Arab in a post-911 world, and her actions to break down barriers -- she joined an Israeli Culture Club, for example -- earned her the grand prize in the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage's Stop the Hate essay contest. Lea joins host Mike McIntyre, along with other inspiring essayists, Wednesday morning at 9:00 on The Sound of Ideas.
Read the winning essays on the Maltz Museum website.
Lea Kayali, Grand Prize winner, senior, Shaker Heights HS
Apoorva Vallampati, runner-up, junior, Aurora HS
Alexis Boone, second runner-up, senior, Glenville HS
Carrie Kubicki, senior, Firelands HS
Tai-Chi Chan, contest judge; director of HR strategy and inclusion, Lubrizol Corporation