Two Champion Middle School eighth-grade students, Autumn Songer and Shaelyn Sutton-Bever, have been selected for District judging in the Elks Americanism Essay Contest after competing against 71 submissions from the region. They are among just three local writers advancing to the next level and say they are surprised and excited about the honor.
News of their selection came in a letter from Ravenna Lodge #1076 Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Americanism Chair, Pat McCon writes, “One of the cardinal principles of Elkdom is ‘to quicken the spirit of American patriotism;’ it’s encouraging to see that the young members of our community are thoughtful about citizenship and are proud to be American!”
This year’s contest theme, “What Does Patriotism Mean to Me?”, inspired Autumn to reflect on the school district’s annual Veterans Day event, where community Veterans are invited for a special recognition program put on by our students, while Shaelyn drew from the events of 9/11 and her own family’s military service.
The contest’s district winners will have the opportunity to compete at the state and national levels, where the top three winners earn monetary prizes.
Congratulations to Autumn and Shaelyn on this achievement!