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TROY — Multiple Troy students were among the winners of Oakland County’s first Juneteenth Art & Essay Contest.
The Juneteenth holiday commemorates the date in history — June 19, 1865 — when the last slaves in Galveston, Texas learned they were free, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
The contest is a part of the county’s annual Juneteenth Celebration, which took place on June 18 — a day before the holiday — near the south entrance of the Oakland County Circuit Court building in Pontiac.
Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter joined community leaders, residents and students for a festival featuring live music, food trucks, speakers, games and the raising of the Juneteenth flag under the theme, “Stronger Together: Celebrating Freedom & Community.”
“This celebration reflects Oakland County’s deep commitment to inclusion, belonging, and a future where every resident is valued and welcome,” Coulter said in a press release. “The insight and heart in these student essays and artworks are powerful and inspiring.”
The contest is meant to recognize student creativity through their reflection on the theme, “Juneteenth: What does freedom and equality mean to me?” Winners received a $150 gift card.
Athens High School student Ella Bunao was announced as one of the three winners in the essay category. Her essay explored the significance of Juneteenth and how freedom and equality must be actively pursued.
“Winning the 2025 Juneteenth Essay Contest is such an incredible experience,” Bunao said via email. “I was excited to represent my school, Athens High School, and the Troy School District as the winner. I feel so grateful to have my voice heard and recognized in this way.”
Brookfield Academy-Troy student Shiv Lohia Bunao was also announced as a winner in the essay category. His submission compared fairness to cookie-sharing and equality to an egg experiment in school.
“If there is freedom and equality everywhere, there’ll be no more wars,” Lohia wrote in the essay. “Everyone will be happy, and that’s the kind of world that will be beautiful and peaceful.”
Sangamitra Sivachandran Narmadha, from Martell Elementary School, was one of the winners for the art category.
Other contest winners include Kairav Joshi from West Bloomfield Middle School in the essay category, and Derek Flores from Blanche Sims Elementary School in Lake Orion, Zuri Earth from Cass Technical High School in Detroit, and Taylor A. Buens from Jardon Vocational School in Ferndale.
For more information, visit oakgov.com.
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