2026 Nellie Wong Magic of Movies Essay Contest Winners
Elementary School: 2nd Runner-Up – Maya Spooner, Sterne School
Swim Sistas was super inspiring and told a story that was personal to me. The movie is about Black women who didn’t know how to swim at first, which surprised me because I also went through this same struggle. They ultimately accomplished something truly remarkable.
That made me realize how important it is to believe in yourself, even when other people don’t. This requires a lot of strength and determination. I also think it’s really cool that they were some of the first Black women to achieve this. That means they were making history and showing other people that it’s possible.
The women in the film were opening doors for others who might have been told they couldn’t. This movie made me feel proud, inspired, and motivated. It taught me that you don’t have to be good at something from the start to succeed. You just have to keep trying, believe in yourself, and never give up, no matter what anyone else says.
As a Black girl, I have felt the same struggles of being told I couldn’t do something. Like them, I love to swim, but my brother takes on the voices of people who have told me I can’t or I shouldn’t. At first, I believed that, but the next day I was even more determined to go swimming and even go to the deep end. My brother kept telling me to just give up, but I said, “No! I can do this!!” So I did, and I was proud of myself. I was able to prove to all those haters that I am unstoppable and strong. When you put your mind to it, nothing is impossible or out of reach, and all you need is to believe in yourself and not let anyone get in your way!