ETR Staff Report
Longview, Texas – Pine Tree High School juniors Mitchell Eggerman and Keith Fowler have earned top honors in the Texas Eastman Black History Essay and Oratorical Contest, hosted by the Connect Group of Texas Eastman.
Mitchell placed second overall and received a $1,000 scholarship award, while Keith earned third place and a $750 scholarship award.
The annual contest recognizes Black individuals who have made significant impacts in STEM fields. Students first submit an original essay, and the top five finalists are invited to the Eastman campus to present their work in an oratorical competition. Final rankings are determined by combining essay and speech scores.
Mitchell’s essay highlighted Kara Branch, a chemical engineer from Southeast Texas and founder of Black Girls Do Engineer, an organization dedicated to creating opportunities for young women in a field traditionally dominated by men. Mitchell is actively involved at Pine Tree High School as a UIL Journalism and Ready Writing competitor, editor of the school newspaper The Cutlass, a Buc, a member of the CTE Audio/Visual team, and a member of the golf team.
Keith’s essay focused on Dr. Gladys West, the mathematician whose work was instrumental in the development of the Global Positioning System (GPS). Keith is a member of the Technology Student Association (TSA), participates in the Pine Tree High School CTE program, and serves in the PTHS Leadership group.
Courtesy photos Pine Tree Independent School District
