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Patriot’s Pen, a national program of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, invites middle school students in grades six to eight to submit an essay based on a theme selected by the military organization’s national commander. This year’s prompt was “My Voice in America’s Democracy.”
Coal City Middle School saw 158 students submit essays to St. Juvin Post 1336, the local VFW chapter. The Post is permitted to submit one essay per every 15 received for district-level judging. Once again, the local veterans organization had the highest number of essays submitted to the Illinois VFW’s 18th District.
The ten essays that advanced to the district level were written by Aubrey Blake, Nalia Castle, Brooklyn Freis, Logan Marshall, Luke Sharum, Kason Bluth, Patrick Doerfler, Caleb Hall, Landyn Pierard, and Olivia Wren. These students were recognized by both the Post and Coal City Community Unit School District 1 Board of Education on Wednesday, Feb. 5. Each student received a certificate and gift from Post 1336.
Of the 377 essays submitted to the district contest, Aubrey Blake's composition received first-place honors and has advanced to the statewide contest. In recognition of this accomplishment, Aubrey was presented with a monetary award from Post 1336.
The Patriot’s Pen project is coordinated locally with assistance from middle school social studies teacher Jim Hitchcock, a U.S. Army veteran. Several middle school staff members assist Hitchcock and Post 1336 in reviewing hundreds of essays each year.
“This is no easy task for the Hitchcock Committee and if it wasn’t for this gentleman and his committee we wouldn’t have this,” said Post 1336 Commander James Phillips.
In addition to Patriot’s Pen, Post 1336’s partnership with the school district includes presentations on the Vietnam War for students at Coal City High School and an upcoming flag presentation for Intermediate School students this spring.
