Olpe students do well in vet tribute contests
By Bobbi Mlynar
Originally published 12:53 p.m., November 5, 2007
Updated 12:53 p.m., November 5, 2007
Olpe students were a dominating force when awards were presented for essay and posters submitted to the annual All Veterans Tribute contest. A 10-year-old from Madison, however, won first place in both essay and poster contests for the fifth-grade group.
Winners were announced before a small crowd Sunday afternoon at Emporia Middle School.
Sam Davis, 10, a fifth-grader from Madison Elementary School, won first place in both the essay contest and the poster contest.
“The teacher just asked me if I wanted to do this because some of her kids had entered (previously),” Sam said. “I thought it sounded kind of interesting.”
Sam said that he “just thought up an idea and worked on it” to fruition.
Sam’s essay, “A Remembrance,” described a flag that would help citizens remember to appreciate veterans.
“My plan is to fly a flag, the Remembrance Flag,” Sam wrote. “The Remembrance Flag could be free of charge for any home or business that would like to fly the flag...
“The Remembrance Flag would be a non-profit service to show our appreciation to our veterans and service men and women. All Americans could fly the Remembrance Flag so that when anyone sees it they would be reminded of how important our veterans and service men and women really are.”
His winning poster depicted his vision of that Remembrance Flag.
Sam wrote that in order for the flag to be free of charge, school children nationwide could have penny wars in November to collect spare change that would be used to buy materials for the flags.
“The other part of the plan is in words,” Sam wrote. “You wouldn’t need money, just words. Say ‘Thank you’ to a veteran whenever you see them, not just on Veterans Day. By saying you appreciate veterans, you could make all the difference.”
Sam’s Remembrance Flag design was on display, as were other poster winners’ entries, during the awards ceremony. Each of the elements on the posters represented the theme of the design.
The eagle that dominates Sam’s flag stands for freedom, he said. The gold rope weaving around the circle is a symbol of unity, just as the large star unites the seven small stars.
“The big star also stands for unity of how the seven forces work together,” he said.
Those smaller stars represent the Coast Guard, the Reserves, Navy, Air Force, Army, Marines, and National Guard.
Sam is the son of Carla and Greg Davis of Madison.
Other winners in their grade divisions were:
Essays
Fifth grade — Alyssa Glover, Lowther South intermediate School, second.
Sixth grade — McKenzie Morris, Olpe Elementary School, first; Logan Fuller, Reading Elementary School, second; Fionna Colpan, Reading, third.
Seventh grade — Taylor Scheidegger, Olpe Junior High School, first; Hannah Kaiser, Reading, second; Josie Herrick, Olpe, third.
Eighth grade — Taylor Redeker, first; Nichole Burenheide, second; Haley Herrick, third; all of Olpe Junior High School.
Ninth through 12th grade — Kylie Mains, first; Doug Harding, second; and Lindy Arndt, third, all of Emporia High School.
Posters
Sixth grade — Andi Bush, first; Adrienne Graika, second; Whitney Kraus, third, all of Marais des Cygnes Valley Junior High School.
Seventh grade — Braxton Butler, Madison Elementary, first; Janae Haag, second, and Emily Samuels, third, both of Olpe Junior High.
Eighth grade — Emily Redeker, first; Larissa Wilke, second; and Jacob Schwindt, third, all of Olpe Junior High.
Ninth through 12th grade — Laura Pennington, first, Hamilton High School.
Twelve schools participated, with 158 entries submitted for the essay contest and 109 posters. Some of the grade-level categories did not have enough entrants to award first, second and third places.
Leslie Draper, retired lieutenant colonel with the Army Reserve, was master of ceremonies and Ed VanVickle, retired Army officer and Emporia Workforce Center official, was guest speaker.
Awards were presented by State Rep. Peggy Mast; Brad Elkins, chairman of the All Veterans Tribute Committee; Richard McCoy, representing Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1980; Shannon Sebring, Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau; and Betty Senn, Director of the Convention & Visitors Bureau.
steakbuffet (anonymous) says...
I am always disappointed more Emporia teachers decline to participate.
November 5, 2007 at 3:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Good job, Olpe. This was a practical, critical thinking, hands-on project. What is really important too is that every bit of it embraces the state writing standards. Hoorah!
November 5, 2007 at 4:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
erica28 (anonymous) says...
This is in regards to user steakbuffet. I have to agree with your comment. But I would say the Emporia community has disappointed me. My daughter was born right here in Emporia Kansas on 09/11/2001 and no body has been willing to support her in the patriots run held every 9/11 to commemoriate the evenst of 09/11/2001. But the community of Overland Park and surrounding areas have donated 2nights in a hotel so we don't have to drive back and forth. I think that the community of Emporia needs to stop worring about sports and start supporting kids who may not be talented in the area of supports.
July 16, 2009 at 5:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )