Five Falls High School students recently were recognized for their expressions what patriotism means to them.
Seniors Jynni Discenza, Zach Dahlin and T.J. Bernard along with juniors Alyssa Silvers and Hanna Heibel took five of the six top winning slots in an essay contest they entered as part of an Advanced Placement English class assignment.
The contest, sponsored by the Fleet Reserve Association, featured the 33rd annual Americanism essay with the topic, “What Patriotism Means To Me.”
Contest officials prompted participating students to give some thought to, and do a little research into selected topics with altruistic or patriotic themes.
“It was an assignment for my class,” said AP English teacher Marie Blumhardt. “The students are required to write on a variety of topics in a variety of modes. Essentially, this was a definition essay.”
Blumhardt added that although there may be one or two students who are academically competitive, she didn’t think many of her students are usually eager to write an essay of any kind. “I think the winners were pleased to be chosen though.”
The winners confirmed that they were excited with the outcome of their essay.
“There’s nothing better than getting paid to do your homework,” said Discenza who received a plaque and $100 savings bond for her first place prize.
The FHS students were winners in the Minnesota branch level of the contest. The essays of first place winners, Discenza and Silvers, will move on to the regional branch consisting of 13 mid-western states. Qualifying essays at the regional level will move on to the national level.
Blumhardt says the majority of encouragement on a direction for students to take with their essays came from her husband, Doug Blumhardt, who was a substitute for her on one of the in-class works days for the essay.
“He encouraged them to find a personal way to connect to the idea of patriotism and be specific in their examples and illustrations,” she said. “He told them to stay away from dictionary definitions or other over used platitudes and ideas. He worked one on one with students during the hour to help them develop their ideas.”
Doug’s advice paid off and was followed. Each winner said they were able to put personal feelings into their essay.
“I wrote about my uncles and my grandpa and what they did in the war,” Heibel said.
Silvers agreed. “My grandpa is participating in legislature, and my mom is voting and spreading her ideas about politics.”
“ I used the example of going to a Fort versus the Falls hockey game and feeling patriotic by cheering on the USA,” Bernard said laughing.
Dahlin said he wrote his essay on citizenship and what it means to a lot of people to become a citizen.
Discenza wrote about Sept. 11 and how she felt it brought the country together as one family.
Blumhardt said she was surprised and pleased with the outcome of the contest.
“I know our graduates are successful and well prepared, but when five of our students placed in the top six positions, I was very pleased.”
