Winners announced in Patriot's Pen essay contest
Winners were announced last week in the annual Patriot’s Pen essay writing competition at the area Veterans of Foreign Wars.
The Patriot’s Pen program is open to students in grades six to eight. This year’s theme is “What is Patriotism to Me?” The first place winner from Montgomery sponsored by the Montgomery VFW Post 5340 was Allison Rynda, a sixth grader from Most Holy Redeemer School.
The daughter of Dan and Michelle Rynda, wrote about pride, respect and love for the United States and different ways Americans can show their patriotism. Branko Schoenbauer and Clara Leonard, both from MHR, took second and third place respectively.
Ayden Balma, an eighth grader at TCU Montgomery and the son of Bryan and Stephanie Balma, was sponsored by Le Center VFW Post 1803. He read his essay at the TCU Veterans Day program on November 11 and spoke about being proud of our country and the people who live in it.
He noted that patriotism comes in large and small acts, like shaking the hands of someone who....
To see more on this story pick up the November 19, 2020 print edition of the Montgomery Messenger.