The contest is available to students in 6th to 8th grade. This year's theme was: "How are you inspired by America?" Nearly 100 students had entered the local contest. The seventh grader's essay was selected for 1st place and he received a trophy and a check for $250.
His essay has advanced to the state level for judging.
Congratulations Mayfield Middle School's Eliot Acree for winning the Patriot's Pen essay contest!
“How are you inspired by America”
Elliot Acree
The year was 1776. On July 2nd, our first Continental Congress came together and created a document called The Declaration of Independence. On July 4th, the Declaration was approved and our Land of the Free was born. Two hundred forty seven years later, our nation still follows the rules that our forefathers laid out for us. Whenever I feel like I can’t do the task in front of me, I think of the presidents of our past who were also challenged but managed to persevere and did great things for our country and others. One reason I am inspired by America is because of our flag. During the War of 1812 when Fort McHenry was attacked, our flag still stood tall on top of its pole like a shining beacon in the dark. Over the years, more stars were added onto the flag until we had 50 shining stars on it. Whenever I see the American flag, it tells me a story about years of freedom and hope and that we will always be free in this grand nation. Another reason I am inspired by America is because of our soldiers who have fought the battles that we could not. The soldiers of America have gone through so much to keep our families and friends safe. Through the years, our soldiers spent years in the trenches away from their families so that they could have a life with no war. When I have been through a very tough situation, I think of the soldiers who have been through far tougher situations than what I have dealt with but, together, they managed to find the light in the dark and pushed forward to victory. I am also inspired by America because of our beautiful National Parks. When Theodore Roosevelt first created the National Park Service, he did it because he wanted to preserve the beauty of our country so that future generations could gaze upon the great wonders of America. I always think of the beauty of our national parks and that we need to protect these wonders of nature so that we can always visit them and admire their beauty. From 1776 to 2023 our county has endured wars, depression, and horrible disasters but, even after so much, our country has always been able to get back up and keep moving forward. Which is why America inspires me.