At its January 9, 2015 meeting, VFW Post #8870 recognized several area students who participated in the Annual National VFW Essay contest. The Post’s student essay competition is coordinated by Fred Apgar who also serves as our Post Chaplain.
The theme for this year’s Youth Essay contest was “What I Can Do to Make Our Country Better” The contest is open to elementary school students in grades 3, 4, and 5, and participation in the contest is open to all public, private, and home schooled children. This year’s winning essay for 4th grade was submitted by Makayla Tourtellot, who is home schooled. Mohuwa Wahid, a student at Picnic Point Elementary School, was runner-up. Makayla was presented with a $100 scholarship from the Post, and Mohuwa received a $25 scholarship.
The 5th grade students who were recognized were all students at Mukilteo Elementary School, and they were accompanied by their teachers, Ms. Sue Idso and Ms. Aina Green. Grace Hettinger placed first ($100) in the competition, and three students, Allessanda Valmonte, Ella Rohrbouth, and Beckett Talmadge were runners-up ($25 each).
The Patriot’s Pen essay contest is open for Middle school students in grades 6, 7, and 8, and the theme for this year’s contest was “Why I Appreciate America’s Veterans”. The winning entry was submitted by Lara Wahid, a student at Harbour Point Middle School, and she also received a $100 scholarship. Two runners-up were named, Lindsey Lundberg (Meadowdale Middle School) and Ian Crunkilton (Terrace Park Elementary School), each of whom received a $25 scholarship.
Olivia Olsen garnered 1st place honors and a $100 scholarship in the Voice of Democracy contest, which is open to high school students in grades 9-12. While the Youth Essay and Patriot’s Pen competition requires a written essay, the Voice of Democracy competition requires the submission of an audio essay. This year’s topic was, “Why Veterans are Important to Our Nation’s History and Future”. Olivia, who had won the two previous Patriot Pen competitions, is a 9th grade student at Edmonds-Woodway High School.