Three 5th graders from Salem Elementary School won 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in the 3rd annual “Making a
Difference” essay contest sponsored by Meadowbrook Women’s Initiative (MWI). Joanne Salloum won
1st place, Abigail Kapoor won 2nd place and Alison Mandel won 3rd place.
Front from left, Alison Mandel, Abigail Kapoor, Joanne Slalom, MWI’s Barbara
Goldstein; back from left, Salem Principal Christopher Shields, teacher John Talbot
“All three relayed personal experiences and are truly making a difference in people’s lives,” said MWI’s
Barbara Meyer, who chaired the contest, which required an essay of no more than 200 words and was
open to 4th and 5th graders in all Nassau County school districts.
Salloum wrote about helping her cousin from Syria who was sent to live with her family two years ago.
“He left his parents, brothers, friends and life as he knew it behind. He spoke very little English and had
to learn a whole new culture,” she wrote. “I’ve helped Ayman by correcting him when he makes a
grammatical error and teaching him how to play games like Wii, board games and card games. I’ve also
showed him television shows and movies that I think he would find interesting and can learn from. I find a
lot of time to hang out with him and have fun. After two years, Ayman is an A+ student in high school and
is going to graduate. It’s been really fun helping and getting to know my cousin better. I hope things get better
for him really soon because it is very sad not being able to go back to your country. That is how I’ve made a
difference.”
Kapoor’s essay was about helping her chronically ill older sister. “Making a difference is an easy thing to do,”
she wrote. “You just need to have a warm heart. It is true that [Emily] is not like every other kid, She’s different
and I absolutely love her for that. I know in my heart that the time I spend with her makes her happy. Even
though some days Emily is sick, she gets through it all. Emily is the most amazing person you could ever meet.
I am so proud of her. I want to make a difference in her life.”
Mandel also wrote about her sibling who has a disability, autism. “Sometimes things can be complicated. My
brother can’t even talk to us. Luckily, he has an app where he can speak. My brother also has teachers who
come over to help him. I think you can make a difference by helping disabled people.”
MWI President Barbara Goldstein presented the prizes at a 5th grade ceremony at Salem in May. MWI has
more than 600 members throughout Long Island. Its mission is to promote lifetime learning, serve the community
and donate funds to worthy local causes, including Hofstra Medical School. MWI is committed to making a
difference in our lives and the lives of others.