South L.A. high school grads win Charles Dickens essay contest

A picture shows a collection of early editions of novels written by British author Charles Dickens at the Charles Dickens Museum based in a house where the novelist lived in central London on February 6, 2012.

Two young women from South Los Angeles have gained admittance into the ‘Dickens universe’ after writing two winning essays granting them an all-expense trip to a Charles Dickens’ themed conference.

Two young women from South Los Angeles have gained admittance into the ‘Dickens universe’ after writing two winning essays granting them an all-expense trip to a Charles Dickens’ themed conference.

Kenia Coyoy and Karen Molina are the first students from the Los Angeles Unified School District to win the essay contest, which draws entries from all across the U.S. and abroad. The two had to indulge and dissect over 800 pages of “Our Mutual Friend” by Charles Dickens, connecting the author to their daily life in South L.A.

Both scholars will join us to talk about their winning essays and their prize: a weeklong conference and their contributions to the discourse of all things Dickens.

Guests:

Karen Molina, recent graduate of the Foshay Learning Center and neighborhood academic initiative scholar; she’s heading to USC in the fall

Kenia Coyoy, recent graduate of the Foshay Learning Center and neighborhood academic initiative scholar; she’s heading to UCLA in the fall