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This fall, Connecticut middle and high school students participated in the Locool Government Challenge, submitting essays on the theme, "Why Local Government is Cool." Holy Cross sophomore, Brianna Mowad '27 was named the high school winner. Brianna was celebrated for her achievement at a recent ceremony and luncheon at Mohegan Sun, where she received her $1,000 award. Brianna plans to save her winnings towards a future car. 

Brianna’s essay focused on how local government has helped her.  In her essay, she writes: 

“Then I thought back to a time where I didn’t have my own room… or a house… or even a family. I thought about more than six years of my life moving from foster home to foster home. I thought of all the workers who supported me and my brother and worked hard to find the perfect family for us.  I thought of the Judges and Attorneys who made decisions on our behalf, the teachers that were our mentors and friends, and all the community events we would attend.  I remember my favorite Librarian who knew exactly what books to put aside for me because she knew that books helped me escape. I didn’t realize that at the time it was the local government workers and laws that made the difference in my young life but looking back now I see the bigger picture.” 

Brianna is very excited to have won this award and is grateful for everyone in the local government that has helped her.  When Bristol Police Officers, Alex Hamzy and Sergeant Dustin DeMonte were killed in the line of duty in 2022, Brianna organized a diaper drive to support Officer Hamzy’s family. Brianna felt a connection to these officers as they both helped her before she entered foster care.

Sean and Karen Mowad, of Wolcott, welcomed both  Brianna, at age 10 ,as well as her younger brother, Brody, into their home as foster children.  Within a year, the Mowads adopted both children to add to their family of biological, adopted and foster children.  Brianna loves being a part of a big family and attending school at Holy Cross with her older sister, Makendra ‘25, where both girls are active in theater.

Life comes full circle for this Locool Government Challenge Award winner, Brianna would like to pursue a career in local government and be a police officer as her dad, Sean,  worked as a police dispatcher.