VFW Winners Acknowledged
by Sebastian Runius and Sandra Richmond
November 23, 2009
The annual VFW scholarship essay-writing contest has taken place again this year at USD 399. Each year, students are given the opportunity to write an essay on a topic given by the VFW. In the high school competition, the Voice of Democracy topic this year was “Does America still have heroes?” Students are to write the essay giving their views on the topic, and then verbally submit their essay with a length of 3-5 minutes by the means of a CD to the Russell VFW post. Students from each school are then awarded with a first and second place winner. From Natoma in the high school competition, Sophomore Jared Hachmeister received first place, and KaiLee Homburg was awarded second place. Hachmeister said, “This is so awesome. It is always really fun to win...”
In February, Hachmeister will attend a banquet in Russell at the VFW where he will get to read his essay to the veterans as well as everyone else in attendance. Homburg won a savings bond, and she will also go to the banquet in February.
In the Junior High level of competition, the Patriot’s Pen topic this year was, “When is the right time to honor our military heroes?” The guidelines for the essay is that it needed to be 300-400 words on the topic of military heroes, and was submitted to the VFW on a CD as well. . 8th grade student Riley Chrisler won the first place at the junior high level, and Rachel Lund received second place.
