East Hampton Middle School Student Places Third in Statewide Essay Contest

At a ceremony recently, the Department of Connecticut Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) announced the top winners in the 2016-2017 Patriot’s Pen essay contest.

Patriot’s Pen is a nationwide youth-essay writing competition that gives students in grades 6, 7 and 8 the opportunity to write essays expressing their views on democracy, according to a release. Nationally, more than 120,000 students participate in the contest.

This year’s theme was "The America I Believe In." Contestants write a 300-400 word essay based on an annual patriotic theme which is first judged by their sponsoring VFW Post. Post winners move on to the District level and those winners to a statewide competition during the fall of the academic year.

This year’s top essay winners are:

• First Place – Rachel Coppinger, 8th grade, Henry James Memorial School, Simsbury, CT. She was sponsored by VFW Post 1926, Simsbury, CT.
• Second Place – Brendan Holleck, 8th grade, Rochambeau Middle School, Region 15, Southbury, CT. He was sponsored by VFW Post 1607, Southbury, CT.
• Third Place – Brendan Owen, 8th grade, East Hampton Middle School, East Hampton, CT. He was sponsored by VFW Post 5095, East Hampton, CT.

All three were presented plaques and a monetary award at a ceremony on January 15 in Rocky Hill at the 46th Annual Awards dinner by the Department of Connecticut Veterans of Foreign Wars and its Auxiliary.

“The Patriot’s Pen competition was enacted in 1995 by the VFW as a way to encourage young minds to examine America’s history," State VFW Auxiliary Patriot Pen Chairman Christine Smith said in a release, "along with their own experiences in modern American society while improving their writing skills."

Rachel Coppinger’s first place essay will be sent to a national competition where she will be competing with 53 other state winners for individual awards ranging from $500 to $5,000. The top national winner is also provided an all-expense paid trip to Washington D.C. with a parent or guardian.

The National Association of Secondary School Principals has placed this program on its National Advisory List of Contests and Activities for 2016-2017. A copy of the entry form and rules can be found here.

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