First place essay for Patriotism Month

The Month of February was a month to celebrate and observe Partiotism.

The Malta VFW Auxiliary sponsored and held a creative essay writing event called "The Patriot's Pen."

According to Kari Hould of the Malta VFW Auxiliary, four students were selected from the nearly 70 entries to represent The Buster Deo VFW Post 4067 in District and State competition. The local winners were selected in November after a three hour gathering of judges to provide scores on students original works on the theme “What Is Patriotism To Me?”

Local judges scored each essay with 30 points for knowledge of theme, 35 points on theme development and 35 points were for clarity of idea. The top four were selected as each Post can submit one entry for every fifteen essays entered. Judges this year were Marcella McEwen, Grant Messerly and Kaitlyn Smith, who had their work cut out for them.

Last week's essay was the second place selection by David Schaldack, an eighth grader at Malta Middle School.

This week's essay features the first place selection by Sadie Branham, a seventh grader at Malta Middle School.

What Patriotism Means to Me By Sadie Branham

In 1999, a man named Patrick told his father, “I want to do something that will make a difference in the world. I’m going to become a soldier.” Over the span of three years, he trained at two boot camps, then eventually, said goodbye to his family and went to war in Iraq. One day, his parents received a letter from their son saying how he cried for the Iraqi children because of their horrible situations.

Patrick was killed during that war in Iraq, but before he died, he sent a letter to his friends and family back home saying that if he did not come home alive, he would have never been more honored to have died with an American flag on his shoulder.

How can we show great patriotism? How can we take as much pride in our country as Patrick did? There are many ways that don’t include serving time in the Army. In fact, anyone can show patriotism.

As a patriot, begin by respecting anyone and everyone. We’re all Americans and have been given all of the same rights. We are all free, and we must allow others to be so. No matter the race, religion, ethnic background, or personal situation; we are all human. We are all American. We are all equal, and we must treat everyone well. Such as Patrick did. Patrick was merely respecting the citizens there while wishing they had the same rights as him.

As a patriot, abstain from neglecting the rights you have been given as an American citizen. We all have the interchangeable unalienable rights that the Declaration of Independence manifests. We compass the right to speech, so we can stand up for others, and speak our minds to attempt to make our country a better place to live. We have the right to choose as we like; to carve our own path. Most countries don’t have that. As American citizens, we can’t take those freedoms for granted.

Imagine a huge sporting event where all of the teams are playing against each other but supporting each other. We are supporting America. We are fighting and rooting for the United States of America. There are habitual disagreements in the world, and we, as individuals, can’t change that. But as Americans, as proud, fighting citizens of America, we must root for our team. That is what patriotism means to me.