2003-2004
Essay Contest
(Click on Photos to Enlarge)
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The American Legion JE Lanier Post 27 4th Annual Middle School Essay Contest Winners
Dec 3, Richmond Hill, Ga- Commander Bill
Helms Jr of The American Legion JE Lanier Post 27, and Ms Melanie Smith of
Barnes & Noble Booksellers presented prizes and trophies to the winners of
the 4th Annual Middle School Essay Contest at the Richmond Hill
Middle School on Thursday. “The Middle When asked about the Sponsorship of the contest Ms Smith said, “ We as booksellers believe strongly that the written word is a powerful tool and are happy to support this contest annually. It’s never too early to start developing good writers.” Barnes & Nobles provided gift card Prizes of 1st place $25, 2nd Place $15, 3rd Place $10, for each grade level, additionally Plums Restaurant provided $10 Gift Certificates for the Students Essays designated as Honorable Mention. The winning students are:
6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade 1st Place- Samantha Carpenter Phillip Wolford Elizabeth Carroll 2nd Place Mac Griffin Trevor Teigen Amy Burford 3rd Place Alyssa Sulliran Nick Balas Cara Haselrig
Honorable Mention
Ambria Braxton Courtney Clark Vincent Farrell Corey Quay
The First Place Essays Follow:
6th Grade 1st Place How The Constitution Affects MeSamantha Carpenter
The United States constitution affects me in lots of ways; for example the 19th amendment protects women’s rights. The way it affects me is when I’m eighteen I can vote and that I can get a job outside of the home. Also, the constitution says I have freedom of speech. That means I can say what I want, when I want, where I want. Another way the constitution affects me is freedom of religion and I can practice my religion anywhere because of that amendment. In article four, section four, the constitution says. “The United States shall guarantee every state in the union a public form of government and protection. That means that my family and I are safe from other countries invading us in our homes. The part I like the most about the constitution is that I have the right to vote when I’m eighteen and take part in electing my government officials. I get a choice of who I Want in the government and my vote will count
7th Grade 1st Place What Is Freedom? Who pays for it? PhillipWolford
Freedom is earned by never giving up. You try with all you have. It is the privilege to do what you want within reason. Without freedom life is nothing. Life is now over as you’ve known it. How would you like to live your life as a nothing? My father is in the military. He has been deployed to seven different operations. Two of those operations were both Gulf wars. The United States of America will never give up their rights to be free. Why does my dad care so much about freedom? He thinks the United States of America is the greatest country in all the world. The United States of America will never give up freedom under any circumstance. What is the question, what is freedom, the answer is everything. Most countries don’t have freedom but we do and that’s what makes the United States of America so great. Freedom is life itself without it nothing. Who pays for it? The soldiers of the United States of America would do anything to keep our flag flying. They pay for it in these ways. They protect the people of the United States of America. They also fight to defend the people of The United States of America. Instead of soldiers they should call them freedom fighters because the only thing they think about is freedom. They don’t just fight for the US, they fight for its reason and purpose of being. The United States of America will never stand down.
8th Grade 1st Place The Rights And Responsibilities Of A Citizen Elizabeth Carroll
There are many rights and responsibilities one has as a citizen of the United States. One major thing is freedom of speech. We are able to express our thoughts and minds knowing that we cannot be punished for it. In a lot of countries you cannot say what you feel, and that is why we should all be grateful for this right. Freedom of press is another big right we have. Even though sometimes the press is wrong for what they say, its always great to know that if you need to get your point out there you have a freedom to say what you want to. We also have the freedom to petition; therefore we can stand up against things we don’t feel is right, and possibly stop it. Although we have many rights we also have duties as well. I think that one of the most important duties is paying taxes. If we didn’t pay taxes, we would have no roads or schools, because the money we use to pay for taxes goes towards so many public facilities that we all use. When you pay taxes you are not only helping the government but also you are helping yourself and your family. There are many duties we have as citizens, but I believe it is necessary to do your part in order to have a working society and be able to have all the freedom we have. If we all just did our part in society and tried to put in an effort to help the world, I am sure it would be a much better place to live in. One of the most important jobs to retain is the armed forces. Being in the armed forces is like paying your country back by protecting its citizens. Being a police officer or fireman is also a very important role to play in society. Without them we would not have safe streets. Paramedics all play a huge part in the duties of citizens; they help others and make this a safer world. Volunteering really shows your character and you are doing a good deed for the community. The armed forces, police officers, firemen, and paramedics, etc…..are willing to sacrifice their lives to help others, and that is a huge way of dong our part as a citizen. We as Americans have many rights that a lot of other countries wouldn’t even dream of. One of the rights that we have that many third world countries wouldn’t dream of having is education. Having a right to an education is more like a privilege to most, and we should take advantage of it. A very important right is trial by jury. So that means if we are accused of a crime, we have the right to go to court and have a trial. The right to trial by jury basically falls under, the right to justice. We have a right to an attorney and a right to not witness against oneself. So basically, no one can make you give yourself up for a crime you committed. In my opinion I think that it is just and right to obey the laws. We are lucky enough that we have so many freedoms; so obeying the laws should not even be a hassle. Voting is also another big duty and right. You cannot vote until you are eighteen, but when you do get that age you should vote. Your vote could make a difference on how these United States are run. Giving blood is also another big duty. You have to be a certain age to be able to give blood, but I feel when you reach that age you should give blood to help out sickly people. Some rights that we have are not always good, but at least we know that we have them. For instance, being able to bear arms can be a good and bad thing. Being able to do all the things anyone else can do can also be a good and bad thing, but it’s a good feeling to know you have freedom. These are just some of the rights and responsibilities we as citizens have. It is a wise thing to do your duties as a citizen, because a lot of countries do not have the opportunity. Even though freedom is meant to be free, sometimes I think maybe it does have a cost. Doing your job as a citizen will ensure that you have freedom.
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