From the Warren Hills Regional Board of Education

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Patricia Hetrick, Principal, Warren Hills Regional Middle School (908) 689-0750 ext. 2701 [email protected]

Dr. Thomas J. Altonjy, Superintendent of Schools (908) 689-3143 ext. 1045 [email protected]

VFW Recognizes Essay Winners from Warren Hills Middle School

Washington Boro, NJ—Each year the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) sponsors the

Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest. Participating students must draft a 300-400 word essay on a topic selected each year by the VFW Commander-in-Chief. The theme for 2011-12 is

"Are You Proud of Your Country?"

Two eighth-grade students from Warren Hills Middle School were honored by Post

5193 of the American Legion in Belvidere, NJ for their districtwide winning Patriot’s Pen essays. Kayla Delghiaccio was awarded first prize and Nicole Duda was the third place recipient. Each student was presented with a certificate of recognition and a U.S. savings bond, and Delghiaccio, the first-place winner, represented the local VFW district at the state level competition last month in Manville, NJ.

Delghiaccio wrote an insightful piece that was both very personal and all- encompassing: “Our forefathers wrote the charters, the Constitution, the Gettysburg

-more-

Address, the Mayflower Compact, and the like in the hopes that America would never again fall under the power of a dictatorship because they were proud enough to realize that just because some man with a crown runs his mouth doesn't mean it’s true or worth following.

Personally they have sparked a feeling inside that this is our land and laws and we should always believe in that. I believe that American pride isn't always defined but it's just us in general, we the people.”

Mr. Michael Perruso, civics teacher at Warren Hills Middle School, interviewed

Delghiaccio about her essay and the writing experience. When asked what inspired her to write the essay, she said, "My brother just graduated from the USMC at Fort Pendleton in

California. I wasn't looking for any awards when I wrote it. I wrote it from the heart."

Of her experience at the state-level competition, she said, "It was cool. I met other students." She went on to say that she now communicates with some of them through social networking sites.

Peruso asked if she would ever enter another essay contest, and if so, why. She responded, "Absolutely, because my work can actually reach someone."

According to the VFW website (vfw.org) the organization receives more than

100,000 Patriot’s Pen essay contest entries from students in grades 6-8 each year all vying for the chance to earn one of several U.S. savings bonds totaling $1.2 million, as well as an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the National first place winner.

Photo caption:

Pictured are Patriots Pen Essay contest winners Kayla Delghiaccio (left) and Nicole Duda from Warren Hills Middle School.