Members of Sultan VFW Post No. 2554 proudly honored Sultan Elementary School student Kegan Aamold last week, for earning top honors in the VFW's annual elementary school essay contest.
Each year the VFW hosts a youth essay competition to engage students at different levels by encouraging them to write about democracy. Students participating in the elementary school contest were tasked with writing a maximum 250-word essay based on the theme, "Why is America My Favorite Country.GÇ¥ Sultan VFW and VFW Auxiliary members Dave and Christina Sivewright helped facilitate the essay contest, which kicked off last October.
The essays were judged locally by four impartial judges, and Aamold's essay beat out the rest, earning him a $50 prize. He then moved on to the district competition, where he again took top honors, beating out 42 other entries and earning another $50 prize. Next up was the state competition in January during the VFW's mid-winter conference in Pasco, where again, Aamold took first place.
Christina Sivewright congratulated 10-year-old Aamold on his win during last week's awards assembly, and presented him with a $100 check from the Washington Veterans of Foreign Wars.-á
"I am so proud of you,GÇ¥ Christina said. "Congratulations, Kegan; nice job.GÇ¥
The awards assembly was held on Friday, Jan. 29, in the Sultan Elementary School gym. As Aamold came up to the front of the room to pick up his award, he paused to shake hands with each member of the VFW who came to honor him.
Aamold's essay made quite a splash in the Sky Valley, said his mother, Shannon. He read it during the Veterans Day luncheon at Damar Aerosystems in Monroe, and some folks even sent it out with their family Christmas cards. Veterans who read the essay were touched, and were appreciative of Kegan's heartfelt words, she said.
The elementary school contest is themed, the middle school essay contest is called Patriot's Pen and the high school contest is called Voice of Democracy. To learn more about VFW essay contests, visit www.vfw.org/Youth.
"Why is America My Favorite Country,' by Kegan Aamold
America is my favorite country because here we have certain freedoms that many other countries don't. In America we have the Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, and we have a military that protects us and our freedoms of 1.4 million strong.
America is my favorite country first of all because of the freedoms we have. I love my freedom because I can do anything that I would like to do, like soccer, football, baseball, basketball and other activities like fishing, riding my bike and reading my favorite book series called "who wasGÇ¥ which are biographies about many important historical people such as Milton S. Hershey, Walt Disney and Thomas Jefferson.
The second reason that America is my favorite country is that I get to be with my family. I love that in America my family and I can go on vacations like the one I went on last summer to the Oregon coast, and the vacation that I just recently went to the Great Wolf Lodge and this November I will go to Disneyland!
The third reason that America is my favorite country is that we have a military that will protect us and our freedom. I am very thankful that we have a military in this country. I appreciate all the service that our men and women have done to keep us safe and free.
I love America and will always love this country because of the privileges that I have here in order to be happy.
Photo by Chris Hendrickson VFW Auxiliary member Christina Sivewright congratulates Kegan Aamold for winning the VFW essay contest, and presents him with a check for $100. VFW members from left to right, Judy Donahue, VFW Commander Chuck Donahue, Gerry Gibson, Dave Sivewright and Ann Marie BunchPhoto by Shannon Aamold Sultan Elementary School student Kegan AamoldGÇÖs win at the district competition earned him a spot in the state finals. He prevailed again at the state competition in January, winning $100 in prize money. Aamold was the only Sky Valley essay contest participant to go to state.
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