Chicago (March 3, 2006) – Three fourth grade students from Chicago Catholic schools are winners in an essay contest to celebrate Chicago’s first non-native resident of record, Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable, who settled Chicago in 1784.

These students will be honored at the 169 th birthday celebration for the City of Chicago held at the Chicago Cultural Center’s Preston Bradley Hall on Saturday, March 4, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The first place winner is Jarrett Wright from St. John De LaSalle Catholic Academy, 10212 South Vernon Ave., Chicago; the second place winner is Mary Elizabeth Harney, Frances Xavier Warde School, 120 South Des Plaines, Chicago; and the third place winner is Tamara Thomas, St. Philip Neri, 2110 East 72 nd St., Chicago. Students reflected upon the success of Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable as a businessman and responded to the question, “Do you think DuSable would have been a successful businessman in Chicago today?”

The Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Chicago play a critical role in the life of the community by providing academic excellence and faith formation for students of many races, faiths and backgrounds in elementary and secondary schools in Cook and Lake counties. There are 218 elementary and 40 secondary schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago. To locate a Catholic school in your area and learn more about Catholic education in Cook and Lake counties, visit the Office of Catholic Schools web page on the Archdiocese of Chicago web site at www.archchicago.org