Mar. 31—A local student has been named one of the winners of Tops Black History Month essay contest.

Brielle Savage, a fifth grade student at Geraldine J. Mann Elementary School in Niagara Falls, was one of this year's winners for writing a paragraph about the woman who inspires her, Niagara Falls singer Marsha McWilson.

Savage's entry reads: "I admire Miss Marsha because she is nice to everyone no matter how they treat her. She comes to school, has lunch with us, and talks to us about bullying and how to make the world a better place. One thing she taught me is that kindness always comes back."

McWilson, a member of the Niagara Falls Music Hall of Fame, goes to different schools in the Niagara Falls School District as a motivational speaker in the form of Mrs. Marsha's Life Lessons.

Students participating in this contest had to be in grades three through eight and write a paragraph or more about African-Americans who inspire them. The winners receive a $50 Tops gift card for themselves and the school they attend will receive $100 from the Tops in Education program.