Published April 06. 2021 4:51PM | Updated April 06. 2021 6:29PM
New London Arielle Frommer, a senior at the Marine Science Magnet High School, has won the 2021 Reid MacCluggage Black Maritime History Scholarship Competition, with her original entry, Ballad of the Dragon Tree: A Tale of Cape Verdean Glory.
Frommer will receive a $1,000 scholarship award, which is sponsored by the New London Maritime Society. This year s MacCluggage Scholarship entries were judged by MacCluggage, the former editor and publisher of The Day whose gift established the competition 20 years ago. I selected Ms. Frommer’s ballad for its creative use of historical fact, colorful writing and lively story-telling. The story, the poetry, the rhythm and beat all creatively celebrate the people of Cape Verde, their robust sailors . . . (and) captains and whalers, and the spiky native Dragon tree, MacCluggage said. My wife, Linda, and I were singing it around the condo. I hope that it will be perform