At a "State of the City" event Wednesday at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe said Bloomington is healthy and prosperous with a falling crime rate and good economic development, adding the city continues to "thrive as a hub of opportunity and innovation."

Josllyn Brooks is a sixth grader at Bloomington Junior High School in District 87. In her essay, Brooks tells of a towering figure who broke barriers in sports and society.

Kh'Mara Bowie is a senior at Bloomington High School in District 87. Bowie takes inspiration from someone in the music world who cuts against common stereotypes.

Erioluwa Jegede is a fourth-grade student at Oakland Elementary School in District 87. Jegede honors a number of historical figures and the lessons they have for him.

Heaven'lee Anne Henderson-O'Brien, 15, is a ninth grader at Normal West high school in Unit 5. Henderson-O'Brien tells a famous story, a horrible story of racial violence, and a story she believes must not be forgotten. Note: This reading includes graphic descriptions of violence and racial epithets.

Aaliyah Mohapatra is a seventh grader at Chiddix Junior High School in Unit 5. Mohapatra's essay recognizes a poet, a soldier, and an abolitionist author.

Sarah Guo is a seventh grader at Evans Junior High School in Unit 5. Guo lifts up an early conservationist from undeserved obscurity.