PebHmong Discussion Forum
News & Announcements => News Headlines => Hmong News => Topic started by: fOrEvEr_sUn_76 on April 19, 2016, 11:14:15 PM
-
He's 17-years old, from Central Senior High Saint Paul, MN and now thanks to the wonderful essay he wrote, Fue Xiong is now one of ten winners of the Chipotle essay contest.
Fue Xiong has always liked to write.
However, the 17-year-old senior at St. Paul’s Central High School was “speechless” when he found out he’ll keep company with literary greats like Jonathan Franzen, Neil Gaiman and Toni Morrison when his words appear on bags and cups at Chipotle restaurants, starting Monday.
Fue Xiong was one of 10 students, and the only one in the Twin Cities area, to win a nationwide essay contest, and his essay scored the highest of any winner. The feature is part of the restaurant’s Cultivating Thought Author Series in which quotes from inspirational leaders and authors grace its cups and bags.
Fue Xiong’s English teacher, Anthony Jacobs, made it an assignment for all his Expository Composition students apply for the scholarship.
“I had always written essays about my parents, but never involved with food,” said Fue Xiong of his winning submission, titled “Two Minutes about Sardines.”
The essay, which is deeply personal, describes a scene from the day his mother and seven brothers and sisters — Fue is a middle child — left his native country of Thailand.
“This is just part of his story,” Jacobs said. “His story is even more amazing than that. … The essay, if anything, is really understated, which is I think where part of the power comes from.”
Fue Xiong said his mother was very proud of her son.
“She shed a couple tears (after she read it),” he said. “Then she gave me a hug and she was happy about it. My whole family was speechless because no one in my family ever got any scholarship.”
That scholarship, which was awarded to all 10 winners of the essay contest, is worth $20,000. He’ll spend it at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, where he will attend in 2017 after spending a year in the military.
“He got accepted to the U of M, but he feels this incredible drive to serve his country because his family was given the chance to come here,” Jacobs said.
More than a million Chipotle customers will see a quote from his essay every day during its run.
Fue said he’s leaning toward a major in science, possibly chemistry, but he did say winning the contest was making him reconsider a little.
Jacobs said his student worked hard on the essay.
“It was a really hard assignment,” Jacobs said. “To write a personal essay about food. … If you met this kid, you’d just be so impressed. He’s just a humble, wonderful kid, I can’t think of a better kid to be recognized for this.”
Writing the essay, Fue Xiong said, was cathartic for him.
“It empowers me,” he said. “My words speak up and tell the people around me, tell my story and what I’ve been through. It just gave me a voice.”
To read about the essay he wrote, see the full article here:
http://www.twincities.com/2016/04/17/chipotle-contest-winner-minneapolis/ (http://www.twincities.com/2016/04/17/chipotle-contest-winner-minneapolis/)
(http://www.twincities.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/160417_Xiong.jpg?w=864)
(Fue Xiong, 17, holding a Chipotle bag printed with the words from his essay)
-
Cool, hope he goes far... O0 8)
-
That's wonderful. I like what he's doing. I did the same when I was younger, always write about my parents and what happened in Laos and camp. Great for him! O0
-
His essay was moving. Simple but so very intimate.
This kid's got a lot going for him. Just don't get married and have a kid before 21!
-
So was it the whole story that they like or just that quote? ???
-
congras man! :D
-
Lyn is happy for him. O0
-
Wow, I'm going to chipotle to see if I can get a bag!