Essay contest named for Gibson
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on February 12, 2016 1:46 PM
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Charles T. "Tommy" Gibson, left, outgoing member of the Wayne County Board of Health, is congratulated by board Chairman Bob Cagle for 11 years of service. The board has since voted to pay tribute to Gibson by renaming its annual Teen Health Perspective Essay contest the Charles T. Gibson Teen Public Health Leadership Essay.
The Teen Health Perspective Essay has been renamed in honor of a long-time Board of Health member.
At its January meeting, the board voted to commemorate the 11-year service of Tommy Gibson, who recently completed his tenure on the board.
Board Chairman Bob Cagle made a motion to attach Gibson's name to the annual teen essay contest, suggesting it become the "Charles T. Gibson Teen Public Health Leadership Essay."
"I feel it is the right thing to do in order to recognize the years of service and dedication that Tommy has given this community," he said. "It is a testament to his love and commitment to Wayne County to give his time for so long."
Gibson, a now-retired pharmacist and former mayor of Goldsboro, had been appointed to the board to complete the unexpired term of a board member and went on to serve three consecutive three-year terms in the pharmacist role.
The essay contest is offered each year by the Board of Health to seek out motivated young leaders in the community, encouraging them to write about a public health topic of their choice.
The first year of the event, in 2003, then called the abstinence essay contest, drew 60 entries.
The theme at that time was explaining why abstinence was the best choice for teens to prevent pregnancy. Prizes included gift cards.
The Wayne County Council on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention came on board in 2004 and co-sponsored the contest.
In 2005, then-board member Donna Edmundson introduced the idea of building upon the idea by putting money behind it. For the 2006 contest, she suggested scholarships be awarded, with board members subsequently voting to donate their stipends received for attending meetings toward the scholarship fund.
Scholarships were awarded for the top three winning essays, with $1,000, $500 and $300 given to first, second, and third-place finishers, respectively, plus gift certificates.
In 2014, the topic was broadened and the event became the Teen Public Health Perspective Essay Contest. Students were allowed to choose their topic based on the priority focus areas of the county's community health assessment. In addition, the three winners did a Power Point presentation.
High school students enrolled in public or private schools, or home schools, are eligible to participate in the annual event.
Ta-Kisha Darden, health education specialist, said applications for this year's essay contest will go out in April, to coincide with Public Health Month. Applications will be available from area high schools, at the library and the Health Department, and online at www.wayneteens.com.