KCPS Middle School Outstanding Author
Informative Writing SY15-16
This celebration of KCPS student writing features one middle school and one high school writer in each
category: narrative, informative, and argument writing.
KCPS Middle School Outstanding Author – Informative Writing
Lana Williams
“Nelson Mandela’s Fight Against Apartheid”
Northeast Middle School 7th Grade
In the interview below, Lana Williams shares her thoughts about writing and life.
Q: Tell me about your informative piece, “Nelson Mandela’s Fight Against Apartheid”
Lana: Ms. Gwinner assigned informative writing to our English class. We wrote about important
people and their impact on the world. I thought Nelson Mandela would be an interesting topic.
Q: Why did you want to write about this topic?
Lana: I am very interested in learning about the past, especially about people – biographies.
Nelson Mandela was a great leader. I admire his fight against apartheid. He has always been a
hero to me and my family.
Q: What are you most proud of in this piece of writing?
Lana: I did a lot of research to learn about Nelson Mandela and apartheid in South Africa. I
discovered a lot of interesting information about his life and the history of South Africa.
Q: What was most challenging about this piece of writing?
Lana: It was challenging to put all of my research into my own words in an essay. I found a lot of
information, but wasn’t sure how to turn it into my own essay.
Q: What is your favorite piece of writing?
Lana: I wrote an essay in 5th grade about living a good life and staying away from bad things. I
also like drawing illustrations for books.
Q: What do you enjoy reading?
Lana: When I was younger, I loved reading fairy tales, like Peter Pan. More recently, Lightning
Thief was a really good book.
Q: What is the best part of your school day?
Lana: Math. It’s easier, more natural for me. I get that from my mom.
Thank you for sharing your informative writing with us. Keep writing!
Lana William
Ms. Gwinner
NEMS 7th Grade ELA
December 4, 2015
Nelson Mandela’s Fight Against Apartheid
Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, in a rural village in the Transkei region of
South Africa. Mandela spent most of his life fighting against the unfair rules of apartheid. He
wanted to help change things in his country. His passion was to achieve equal rights for all
people in his country.
The apartheid laws of South Africa, where Nelson Mandela grew up, kept blacks and
whites away from each other. Apartheid was a set of rules of racial segregation in South Africa
that kept blacks and whites apart. Apartheid literally means apart or separate. South African
apartheid began in 1949 and lasted 50 years until1994. The apartheid had rules to follow
against the blacks and gave more rights, freedoms and services to whites. Apartheid rules
prohibited marriages between whites and blacks, prohibited blacks from striking for better
wages at work, and prohibited blacks from being full, equal citizens (#TAKEONRACISM).
Nelson Mandela was adopted at a young age. He worked very hard in school, where he
began his fight against apartheid. He was the first person in his family to finish school. He
graduated from high school and continued to college. He was arrested for fighting against racial
inequality. The South African government imprisoned him for 27 years (Nelson Mandela).
Mandela was 71 years old when he was finally released from prison. He played an
important role in ending apartheid in South Africa. A symbol of global peacemaking, he won the
Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 (#TAKEONRACISM).
After he was released from prison he became president of South Africa. Mandela
severed as South African president from 1994 to 1999. When Mandela was president he did a
lot of good work for all people of South Africa. As president he increased the living standards of
the country’s black population (Nelson Mandela).
Nelson Mandela died on December 5, 2013, at the age of 95. He is remembered for
working hard to achieve human rights and create a better future in South Africa. He dedicated
his life to fight against apartheid and give equal rights to all people. Nelson Mandela was an
incredible human being.
Works Cited
"Nelson Mandela." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, Web. 05 Nov. 2015.
"#TAKEONRACISM." Nelson Mandela Foundation. Web. 05 Nov. 2015.