Jessi Becerra, an eighth grader at Gallatin R-5 High School and first-place winner of the local VFW Post 2172-sponsored Patriot Pen Essay Contest, has also won first-place for VFW Missouri District 1. Jessi presented her essay to the district leadership and was awarded a certificate and a $100 check at the district meeting in Chillicothe on Jan. 10.
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Each year more than 100,000 students in grades six to eight enter the Veterans of Foreign Wars Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest. The essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society, by drafting a 300- to 400-word essay, expressing their views based on a patriotic theme chosen by the VFW Commander-in-Chief. The first-place winners from each district compete in the state, and the state winners compete to win one of 46 national awards totaling $46,000. The national first-place winner wins $5,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., in March.
Kim Johnson and Jessi Becerra are pictured above with Chris Bell (Commander, VFW Department of Missouri), Ray Clevenger (Commander, VFW Post 2172), Bob O’Dell (Commander, VFW Missouri District 1), and John Krumpelman (Chairman, VFW Missouri District 1 Voice of Democracy/Patriots Pin/Teacher of the Year awards program). [Submitted Photo]
Kim Johnson, a teacher at Gallatin R-5 High School, has won the VFW Missouri District 1 Teacher of the Year award at the high school level. Mrs. Johnson was also recognized and received a certificate at the district meeting.
The VFW Teacher of the Year award contest recognizes exceptional teachers for their outstanding commitment to teaching Americanism and patriotism to their students. Each year, a classroom elementary, junior high and high school teacher whose curriculum focuses on citizenship education topics—for at least half of the school day in a classroom environment—can be nominated for the Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award.