Banana Kelly High School Student Wins Nat Geo Mundo Student Explorer Contest

Optimum Community and Assemblyman Marcos Crespo visited Banana Kelly High School to announce 11th grade student Emanuel Ankomah as the Bronx high school winner of the 2015 Nat Geo Mundo Student Explorer Contest. The contest, sponsored by Optimum Community and Nat Geo Mundo, was open to four high schools in the Bronx and required applicants to submit personal references and a 300-word essay on why they should be selected and what they hope to accomplish through world travel. The winner of the contest receives a full scholarship for a summer travel experience with the 2015 National Geographic Student Expedition. Emanuel’s award-winning essay described how after volunteering with BuildOn in Burkina Faso in West Africa on a park restoration project last year, he realized his passion ... to work in the field of environmental conservation. He also noted that participating in the National Geographic Student Expedition this summer will enrich his knowledge of plant and animal conservation and provide an invaluable life experience. Emanuel, who is from Ghana, is a top-notch eleventh-grader with a 96.35 GPA. At the award ceremony, Assemblyman Marcos Crespo congratulated Emanuel for his excellent essay and spoke of the benefits of world travel with regard to learning and enrichment.

“I congratulate Emanuel on his award-winning essay and on being a true role model for other young people,” said Assemblyman Marcos Crespo. “You are about to embark on a terrific summer adventure and I am sure you will make the most of it. Remember that travel changes the way one relates to the world and empowers one to take on new challenges. I would also like to thank Optimum Community and Nat Geo Mundo for bringing this initiative to the students in our area.”