Students Win Contests for Memorial Day Flair

Four students won contests sponsored by Seekonk's Memorial Day Parade Committee on Monday, but Matt Gallup was the big winner. Part of the reason may be because everyone was wearing his pin.

Twelve-year-old Gallup designed a pin that was chosen to be reproduced and passed out at the parade. "I had a few ideas, but the one I finally ended up doing was the best," said Gallup.

The pin design he finally settled on was a picture of Seekonk's emblematic goose standing in front of the American flag as a squadron of fighter jets flies over head.

Tyler Mello, Sarah Mullin and Madison Rego also won contests for their essays on the topic "What Memorial Day Means To Me."

"We wanted to incorporate the town and it's residents to get involved in the Memorial Day Parade," said veteran's agent Seth Bai as he introduced the winners on Monday.

Gallup said he decided to participate when flyers were passed out in his homeroom, as they were throughout all the schools in town. "I don't draw too too much, but when I have an idea, usually I'll do it, and that's what happened with this one," said Gallup of the decision to participate in the contest.

When he's not drawing award winning designs or handling his sixth grade workload, Gallup plays baseball and hockey.