Middlebury Youth Participate in VFW’s Patriot’s Pen Contest

From Pomperaug Regional School District 15: 8th grade students from Memorial Middle School (MMS) in Middlebury and Rochambeau Middle School (RMS) in Southbury participated in the Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest sponsored locally by George Newton VFW Post 1607 in Southbury.

The Patriot’s Pen is a national youth essay contest that encourages students to write essays expressing their views on an annual patriotic theme chosen by the VFW Commander-in-Chief. Each year more than 125,000 students in grades 6-8 enter the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen contest. To participate in the contest, eighth grade students wrote essays based on the 2016-17 theme, “The America I Believe In.” Essays were then judged by members of the VFW on theme development, clarity of ideas, and knowledge of the theme.

The contest consists of four levels, with the entry level sponsored by local VFW Posts. Post winners then advance to the VFW regional level; the first-place winner then advances to the VFW state level. The first-place winner at the VFW State level advances into the VFW National competition.

The following students were first place winners of the local post level at MMS: Emma Broadwater, Morgan Foss, Samantha Grayson, Aditya Mamidi, Jessica Rodriguez, Spencer Swartz-Wuest, and Emma Williams.

The following students were first place winners of the local post level at RMS: Madison Burstiner, Winnie Chen, Brendan Holleck, Brady Kissinger, Tim Monahan, Daniel Ready and Ryan Sokol.

Brendan Holleck, an 8th grade student at RMS, advanced to the VFW regional level, and finished in 2nd place at the VFW state level. Brendan’s accomplishment was recognized in a ceremony reception in Rocky Hill, CT on January 15th, 2017.

8th grade history teachers coordinate the program at the two middle schools. Karl Buckley and LeAnn Cassidy coordinate the program at MMS and Cheryl Horton and Lauren Neth coordinate the program at RMS. Teachers use the opportunity to integrate themes of patriotism, service, sacrifice, and freedom into student writing.

“The program’s purpose is to foster true patriotism and to put into action the students’ thoughts regarding their responsibility to their country, freedom, and democracy,” said Larry Williams, Commander of VFW Post 1607.

Photo courtesy of Pomperaug Regional School District 15: Brendan Holleck, an 8th grade student at Rochambeau Middle School (RMS), finished in 2nd place at the state level in the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest sponsored locally by George Newton VFW Post 1607. Pictured L-R: Ken Korsu, Quartermaster of VFW Post 1607, Brendan Holleck, and Larry Williams, Commander of VFW Post 1607.