Warren County students honored for patriotism
All veterans who might from time to time need to be reminded they do not hold a monopoly on patriotism need look no further than youngsters right here in Warren County, said VFW member and General Sessions Judge Larry Ross.
Ross’s words came Thursday evening during a banquet at the VFW honoring the winners of the VFW’s youth essay contest, patriotic art contest and the Voice of Democracy contest.
“We are very excited so many kids entered these contests,” said VFW Ladies’ Auxiliary youth chairman Tami Poston Ross. “They did a really great job. We’re very proud they’re interested freedom and the sacrifices made by veterans during this country’s wars.”
The number of participants, particularly in the essay contest, saw a noticeable increase this year. Poston Ross said she felt the events of Sept. 11 were responsible for the increase. “Sept. 11 made everyone feel patriotic and want to do something,” she said.
This year’s essay contest saw 142 seventh- and eighth-grade participants from all five of the county’s outlying schools as well as Warren County Middle School. This year’s essay theme was “Is Freedom Really Free?” and the essay itself had to be between 300 and 400 words. Participants were judged on grammar and how well they grasped the theme.
The overall winner was Centertown Elementary eighth-grader Isaac Slatton, who received a $100 savings bond, a certificate and a plaque.
Individual school winners include: Christina Jordan, an eighth-grader at Morrison, Emily Cantrell, an eighth-grader at Dibrell, Brittany Gentry, an eighth-grader at Eastside, Tim Womack, an eighth-grader at WCMS; and Niki Poe, an eighth-grader at Irving College. Each of the individual school winners received a $50 savings bond, a certificate and a plaque.
The first-ever patriotic art contest was held with the theme “Touching Lives and Lifting Spirits” and received 109 entries. The winner was Miguel Cota, a 10th-grader at the high school. Cota’s art work also won third place in state competition and is currently on display in an art gallery in Nashville. For winning he received a $100 savings bond and a plaque.
Other winners include second place Refik Turkanovic and third place Chris Mullican, both 10th-graders at the high school. Turkanovic received a $75 savings bond and a certificate, while Mullican received a $50 savings bond and a certificate.
Though already announced several months ago, the winners of the high school level Voice of Democracy contest were Brandon Savage, first place, his sister Kendra Savage, second place and Nathaniel Green, third place.