Local students recognized for constitution essays

Victoria Peterson—Mustangs Ahead Senior Associate Editor

(LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL) -- Lakewood Ranch High School (LRHS) Mustangs pulled-off a clean sweep in the annual Constitution Day Essay contest sponsored by the Bradenton Rotary Club.

The annual Constitution Day Essay contest invites Manatee County senior high school students to answer the question “what does the Constitution mean to me?” The contest challenges students to recognize their own life experience and apply it to something greater than themselves by reflecting on perhaps the most important document in American history: the U.S. Constitution.

The following three senior Mustangs were selected as the contest’s finalists -

• Faith Finnegan
• Edward Grayson
• Kelsi Scott

These finalists have been invited to the rewards ceremony at Pier 22 in Bradenton on Mon., Sept. 28, where their final placements will be announced, and they will read their essay submissions. Each finalist will be rewarded for their essay submission, with awards up to $5,000.

Each of the finalists emphasized what an honor it is to be recognized for their efforts and how their stories reflect the deeper meaning the U.S. Constitution.

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Finnegan shared, “I feel very honored and happy to have placed because it means that I get to share my story and the respect that I have for the Constitution.

“Growing up with a mom becoming a citizen after immigrating from Germany and a dad who served in the Coast Guard for over two decades, I am blessed with the ability to learn the deeper meaning behind American citizenship and how my parents' journeys have led me to become the person that I am,” Finnegan continued.

Scott said, “I feel extremely accomplished and grateful that I was chosen for this competition. I wrote about my grandfather and his service in World War II.

“His service as a combat medic during the war showed me that the freedoms we have today came with sacrifices from generations before us, and that it is now our responsibility to protect those freedoms for future generations,” Scott continued.

Grayson shared, “I’m feeling really proud to be recognized for my Constitution Day essay. I know a lot of people submitted their essay to the competition, so to be considered one of the top three is an honor.

“My essay was about the freedoms that we have under the first amendment and how America can be defined by that. It is the first amendment that really brings the American people together as it gives us the freedom of speech and freedom to protest,” Grayson continued.

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