VFW presents state awards to local students

On January 21, at the Washington State VFW Mid-Winter Conference in Yakima, this year's state winners of the Youth Essay, Patriots Pen, and Voice of Democracy competitions were announced. Out of the entire state, the Wahkiakum School District had winners in the Youth Essay and the Patriots Pen competitions.

On February 22, Wahkiakum VFW Post 5297 Commander Bill Tawater and Junior Vice Commander/Youth Program Director, Art Young, presented third place Patriots Pen winner, 7th grader Joshua Moon, with a certificate, a cash award of $300 and an Amazon Gift Card worth $50, and second place Youth Essay winner, 4th grader Aspen Cothren, with a certificate, a cash award of $100 and an Amazon Gift Card worth $50.

Including each winning first place in the Post and District competitions, Joshua Moon has won a total of $550 and Aspen Cothren has won a total of $300.

At the conference in January, District 16's first place Voice of Democracy winner, Evelyn Normand, was recognized at a banquet along with all the other Voice of Democracy winners in the state. Evelyn is in the 10th grade at Naselle-Grays River Valley School District. The state VFW paid for the banquet and a night stay in Yakima for Evelyn, her mother, father, and her two sisters.

Historically, the two school districts do very well in the essay competitions, Tawater commented.

"It is a tribute to the students, teachers, parents and VFW that participate and make this program work," he said. "The students do excellent work with the essays and, we hope that they continue doing so in the upcoming year."