Oakland County Announces Winners of 2026 Juneteenth Art & Essay Contest

• The Juneteenth Art & Essay Contest winners span the communities of Lake Orion, Novi, Troy and Waterford.
• Each gave their perspective and reflection on this year's theme of "Journey to Juneteenth: What Does Freedom Mean Today?"
• The winners were recognized at Oakland County's Juneteenth Celebration, and each received a $150 gift card.

Pontiac, Mich. - Oakland County is proud to announce the winners of its second annual Juneteenth Art & Essay Contest, recognizing students from across the county who shared their creativity, perspectives and reflections on this year's theme, "Journey to Juneteenth: What Does Freedom Mean Today?"

The contest is part of Oakland County's annual Juneteenth Celebration, which honors the end of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. The celebration also recognizes the ongoing pursuit of equality.

Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter congratulated this year's winners and praised the students for their thoughtful submissions.

"Juneteenth is a time to reflect on our nation's history while recognizing the importance of freedom and respect for every person," said Coulter. "These students demonstrated remarkable creativity and maturity in exploring what freedom means - not only as a historical milestone but also as a responsibility we all share today."

The winners were recognized at the celebration, and each received a $150 gift card.

Essay Category Winners

Grades K-3: Clara Assumpta Bunao - Hill Elementary School, Troy, Mich.

Art Category Winners

Grades K-3: Prisha Narain - Hickory Woods Elementary School, Novi, Mich.

Grades 4-7: Manha Jabbar - Novi Meadows, Novi, Mich.

Grades 8-12: Heaven Caston - Kettering High School, Waterford, Mich.

Post-High School: Jayden "Vern" Leslie - Durant High School, Waterford, Mich.

Essay Highlights

Bunao explored freedom as the ability to make choices and to learn and grow from opportunities to help others. She wrote about how freedom allows her to serve her community through volunteering, supporting people in need and caring for animals.

"Freedom means being able to make choices and be yourself," Bunao wrote. "I think freedom is very important because it helps people learn, grow and be happy."

Kadam's essay examined the difficult and delayed journey to Juneteenth, describing the significance of the day. She emphasized that Juneteenth is both a celebration of freedom and a reminder of the continued work needed to achieve equality and fairness.

"The journey to Juneteenth was painful, long and filled with hope," Kadam wrote. "Juneteenth reminds people of the freedom that belongs to everyone, no matter their ethnicity."

Kwon shared a deeply personal reflection connecting Juneteenth with his family's history and his grandmother's experience fleeing Korea during war. Through that story, he explored how freedom can be delayed, complicated and shaped by the sacrifices of previous generations.

"This is what Juneteenth means to me," Kwon wrote. "Freedom delayed is freedom denied, and denial leaves scars that do not fade."

Torres reflected on freedom through the lens of immigration, identity and belonging. Drawing from his experiences growing up in the Philippines and living in Detroit, he described freedom as the ability to pursue dreams, express oneself and contribute to a community.

"For me, freedom is to be able to dream and chase after what I want, not be constrained by it," Torres wrote.