Winners announced

The women’s auxiliary of Marion VFW Post 6958 recently announced the winners of the youth essay competition, Patriot’s Pen.

This year’s theme was “Why America’s veterans should be honored.”

Thirty-four eighth graders and 28 seventh grade students of Marion Middle School participated in the contest.

Erin Meierhoff was the first place winner of the eighth grade level. There was a tie for second place — Isaac Baldwin and Sarah Eurit.

The top-two winners of the seventh grade students were Kathryn Ehrlich, first place; and Lauren McLinden, second.

The first place winners received a $100 U.S. Savings Bond. All second place winners each received $50 U.S. Savings Bonds.

Following are the winning essays, unedited, as they were presented for judging.

Erin Meierhoff, first place, eighth grade:

Veterans

Veterans should be honored because they are heroes. There are three main reasons why they should be honored. They made our country a new and better place to live. Another reason that they should be honored is that they risked their lives defending our country. The last reason is they cared enough to fight for us. Veterans helped improve our country and we should appreciate what they have done for us!

Our country is a better place to live because of our veterans. We have our freedom because they have fought for us! With our freedom, we have new and improved technology for curious learners to experiment with and discover new opportunities. Our freedom of choices is immense and that is why living in the United States is such a great honor. Veterans help create peace in our country.

Veterans risked their lives by fighting for our country. Some have died in honor of fighting for our peace and freedom for people they do not know. While some had a choice of enlisting, others did not. A very long time ago, a draft made people sign up and they felt forced to fight. This made them unhappy. No matter if they were forced to go to war, or they signed up on their own, all veterans showed their loyalty and support of honoring our country by not quitting and always wanting peace or freedom.

Veterans cared enough to fight for us. Most veterans had families at home, but they signed up to fight and support our country anyway. Families made their prayers every night to keep loved ones safe and alive. Veterans today show their honor and dedication to our country because they helped fight to keep us safe. However, we should be honoring veterans and showing respect to them every single day of their lives.

There are many different ways that veterans can be honored. You can start by always saluting the flag with your right hand over your heart and taking your hat off when the flag is raised or crosses your path. If you are a veteran, you deserve a lot of thanks and respect. Always remember, veterans help make our country a better environment to live in. They too keep civilians safe at home. They definitely need to be appreciated!

Kathryn Ehrlich, first place, seventh grade:

Why do you think America’s veterans should be honored? I think there are many reasons. The three I believe in most are because they fought for our country, risked their lives, and chose to do it all. That would take a lot of courage and they do it very well.

The United States has been in many wars. We entered our first war from the 1900’s in 1917. There has been a war for just about every decade since then. The U.S. is in Iraq now fighting for our country. Those soldiers are fighting for our freedom and to protect the people of the United States of America.

Another reason they deserve to be honored is because they risk their lives. The veterans leave their safe home and family to fight for people they don’t even know. While battling, those veterans do anything for the benefit of our country. They sacrifice their lives for justice. Even though those soldiers don’t know if they’ll make it out of the war alive, they still go in headstrong.

The most outstanding trait of these veterans is that they chose to do it all. They chose to go fight even if they won’t be specifically honored or recognized among the other soldiers. The men and women of the army choose to work hard day and night to become the best soldier they can. The United States is one of the only counties that do not force our people to fight, we let them volunteer. They volunteer with a heart and head full of confidence that they can make a difference in the war and maybe the world.

Although there are many more reasons, these three stand out to me. They all would take a lot of bravery, courage, and confidence. I greatly honor the veterans of America because of all they do for me and my country. What are your reasons?

Isaac Baldwin, (tie) second place, eight grade:

Honoring Our Veterans

So often, American citizens go about their daily lives, taking for granted everything that makes this country great. They never recognize that their freedom was paid for by the soldiers that have fought for that very thing, the wellbeing of the American people. The citizens of the U.S. need to take a little time out of their busy life to honor the Veterans of Foreign War, because without them they wouldn’t have that same busy life they have now.

Many of these soldiers made their own choice to fight, especially those who have fought in more recent times of conflict. They made a decision that would not only change their lives but the lives of all the people that they were defending. The soldiers left behind all of what they once had to go through the trials of training, and then into a strange set of surroundings where they had never been before. They lived through any condition that came with this place. We should give them the admiration they deserve for making this choice.

The soldiers should also be honored because of the simple fact that they fought. They put themselves into harm’s way in the hopes of securing a good life for the people back home. These people must have been very selfless to risk their lives for others. Most of these people were ones they didn’t know and would never meet. The level of courage that America’s veterans possess is beyond that of most other people, who never had those experiences.

Now, one must also be award that the value that U.S. veterans have is not measured through combat, but their leadership in and outside of conflict. The public should honor those who served in the military because of that kind of personality that the people that have fought for our country have.

Veterans have and always will be important to our country. Their service has given way to a strong, free nation that every citizen is thankful to live in. It is the very least we can do to thank and honor our veterans.

Sarah Eurit, (tie) second place, eight grade:

American Veterans

Our veterans should be honored because they fought, and put their lives on the line for our country. They believed in independence and freedom. They fought for a good cause worth believing in.

Some ways to respect our veterans is by saying thank you and understanding the situations they have been in. Respect our country in honor of them. Be patriotic everyday and especially on holidays. It’s important to support them because they fought for freedom. They went into foreign countries to protect us. Veterans fought to defend our liberty. Some died so we can be free.

The courage and bravery displayed by these soldiers of foreign war is outstanding. The incredible thing is that many soldiers volunteered to go war knowing many of them would die defending our country. Soldiers have faced the front line and still live to tell about it. Many veterans are still haunted by things they’ve seen, but they are willing to do so, to maintain our freedom. Veterans thought America was worth the risk of dying.

Since so many risked their lives it is important to respect and support them by being patriotic. Many countries have ways to remember their country or wars fought. Some have special clothing, most have flags, songs, and special days in honor of soldiers or battles won. The United States of America is one of the countries that is very patriotic. There are many holidays in honor of soldiers and the country. Celebrating U.S. holidays is not just for American pride, but also a reassurance to the veterans that what they fought for was not a lost cause. It is important that the veterans know how much we appreciate them for what they have done.

Honoring our veterans is not something you should do just on special occasions, it is something you should do everyday. The next time you see a veteran be sure to take a moment to thank them for all they’ve done. Thank them for defending our country, for without them we don’t know where our country would be. Veterans believed in making change not just imagining it, honor our veterans.

Lauren McLinden, second place, seventh grade:

Why America’s Veterans should be honored

If you have ever lost a major limb off of your body, you were probably either in a horrific accident or you are an American veteran. If you aren’t sure what an American veteran is, it’s someone who’s been in a war that America has fought in. Speaking of American veterans, we should have more ways to honor them. American veterans have risked their lives and some have sustained lifelong injuries, they have fought for peace, and fought to defend our country.

If you have ever fought in a war, then you know that one of the most dangerous aspects of a battle is that you may happen to get injured or you might loose your life. If you didn’t loose your life bravely fighting for our country, then you might’ve gotten a battle scar. Whether it’s a small scar from a knife or you lost your leg in a bomb explosion, you were most likely trying your hardest to defend the country we call home. In my eyes, that deserves more honoring than anything!

When you are fighting in a war, the main goal to most is to win and spread peace throughout the place where you are fighting. Sometimes that peace needs to go nearly world wide, like in the World War’s. Or maybe just in a town or country, like in the Iraq wars. Which ever it is, though, you can be sure that it’s one of their highest priorities. You all work your hardest while you are trying to keep the peace. You really should be honored more!

Our amazing veterans are also fighting for our country. They’re fighting for our rights, like in the rebellion against Great Britain all those years ago. They also stand for our freedom. They are placing themselves in battle to help avenge the horrific and terrifying destruction that was brought upon us, too. September 11, 2001, was a depressing day and now is a giant would in our citizens. Our veterans fought long and hard to save the lives that they could, so they deserve our greatest respect.

So if you have ever risked your life fighting in a battle, we thank you greatly. I’m sorry if you received a grim reminder from the battles you have fought in, but you fought to defend our country and bring peace to people in many places.