Patriot’s Pen, a national program of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, is an annual program that 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 had 158 students submit an essay to St. Juvin Post 1336, the local VFW chapter. The Post is allowed to submit one essay per each 15 received for judging at the district level. Once again, the local veterans organization had the highest number of essays submitted to the Illinois VFW’s 18th District.
The 10 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. The students were recognized by the Post and Coal City Community Unit School District 1 Board of Education on Wednesday, Feb. 5. Each of the students received a certificate and gift from Post 1336.
Of the 377 essays submitted to the district contest, the composition written by Aubrey Blake 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 the 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,” Post 1336 Commander James Phillips said.
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 a flag presentation for Intermediate School students that is coming up this spring.