Student Gets Runner-Up Legacy Project Award

Klayton Clark, 7th grade, was selected as one of the prize-winning students in the Legacy Project’s 2018-2019 “Listen to a Life Story” Contest. His entry has been chosen as one of only seven runner-up Legacy Award winners in the nation. The contest received entries from across the country from students ranging in ages between 8 and 18.

The contest “Listen to a Life Story” was to interview a person over 50 (not a parent) and write a short essay about an event in their life that impacted them. Klayton wrote about his grandma growing up poor and longing for a beautiful yellow Easter dress that she never got.  Congratulations Klayton!

You can read the entire essay below:

This is about my Grandma Brown. She is 75 years young. She doesn’t share a lot of stories from her past, so I was honored that she took the time to share her story with me. I am surprised she chose the story that she did. She had tears in her eyes, as this story isn’t particularly a happy one, but she has taught me a valuable lesson.

When my grandma was a little girl, she would go shopping with her mom. They would go to G.C. Murphy’s where my grandma would admire the dresses. This particular one was an Easter dress. It was yellow, with lace at the top, a fitted waist and a bow in the back. She longed for this dress as her Easter gift.

She doubted she would get the dress. She knew her family didn’t have a lot of money. Her mom was a stay-at-home mom and her dad was a coal miner. They had five children in total. She knew it was a lot of money for an Easter gift, but she secretly hoped she would get the yellow dress that her heart desired.

Easter morning came and she couldn’t wait to see if her yellow dress was there. When she realized it wasn’t, she was very disappointed. 

Hearing my grandma’s disappointment and seeing the expression on her face made me realize how much this little yellow dress meant to her. I have been very fortunate to have all the clothes I need and want. Something that simple would have been there for me on Easter, but it wasn’t for her. This has also made me sad and put tears in my eyes. 

I wish I could find her that dress now and surprise her with it.