L-R: Elizabeth Hastings Middle School student Mischa Tomasia poses with principal Nicholas Bettencourt after Ms. Tomasia won first place in the 2022-2023 Patriot’s Pen essay contest sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Submitted photo.
Elizabeth Hastings Middle School in Fairhaven announced local winners of the Patriot’s Pen essay contest 2022-2023.
The program, sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), gives students the opportunity to write essays expressing their views on the annual patriotic theme.
The Fort Phoenix VFW #2892 Auxiliary Essay Contest was completed by all students in grades 6–8 within their History Classes.
The Theme wa My Pledge to Our Veterans. It was a 300-400 word original typed essay, due by October 31, 2022.
Out of all the entries of those that participated, Grade 7 Scholar, Mischa Tomasia received First Place with a cash prize. Grade 7 Scholar, Adam Hirsch came in Second Place with a cash prize.
“We are truly excited for this recognition and proud of these individuals,” wrote the school in a press release. “The also exciting aspect was they were both from Grade 7 History Teacher, Mr. Marshall’s Classes. Thank you for your words, and advocacy for our veterans!”
The contest consists of four levels. The first level (entry) is sponsored by VFW Posts. Post winners advance, one for every 15 entries, to the VFW District (regional) level where the one first-place winner is advanced to the VFW Department (state) level, The first-place winner at the Department level is then advanced into the VFW national competition.
Patriot’s Pen is open to 6th, 7th and 8th-grade students in public, private or parochial schools in the U.S., its territories or its possessions. Home-schooled students also are eligible.
To learn more about the Patriot’s Pen Program, visit https://tinyurl. com/yybt9tta. For other VFW scholarship programs, visit https://www.vfw. org/community/youth-and-education/youth-scholarships
L-R: Elizabeth Hastings Middle School principal Nicholas Bettencourt poses with Adam Hirsch, who won second place in the 2022-2023 Patriot’s Pen essay contest sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Submitted photo.
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