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The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post and Auxiliary #6893 of Preston would like to recognize the winners of the Voice of Democracy (VOD) and Patriots Pen contests held in October of 2021.
Voice of Democracy is a patriotic audio essay competition open to students in grades 9-12. The theme was “America: Where do we go from here?” Audio entries were limited to be 3-5 minutes in length. Two entries were submitted by Fillmore Central students. Audra Otto won first place; she received a check for $75. Second place winner was Kyra Arndt; she received a check for $50.
Patriots Pen is a competition where students write essays that express their views on an annual theme. The theme was “How Can I be a Good American?”. Essays were submitted by 74 of the students in grades 7 and 8 from Fillmore Central. Parker Krage won first place; he received a check for $50. Second place winner was Brooke Tieskotter; she received a check for $25. All students that submitted entries received a Certification of Participation.
The winners read their entries at the Veterans Day Program held at Fillmore Central High School. They were presented with their checks at that time.
Entries for both first place winners were forwarded to the First District for further competition. We are pleased to report that Audra Otto placed second at the district level. She and the other district winners were honored at the First District VFW meeting held on February 5 in Austin, Minnesota. She received a check for $200 as well as a medal and pin.
The local post and auxiliary would like to thank the teachers for their assistance with these programs: Erin O’Brien, Gerri Nielsen, Andy Todd, and Jackie Whitacre.
The winning entries are published below.
Audra Otto, 1st place
Voice of Democracy contest
America: Where Do We Go From Here?
Where do we go from here—from the pandemic and lockdown? Where do we go now that the world has been turned upside down and is just now starting to right itself? People all over the world are striving to return to “normal” and to get back to the way things were before the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the question we should be asking ourselves is, were things ever “normal” before covid occured? I don’t think that we should be striving to return to a way of life that might have been flawed in the first place.
How can we use our traumatic experiences from the coronavirus to better understand the struggles of our fellow human beings, and remember to show kindness in all situations? How can we learn from the heroes of this country, past and present? I think we’ve been given this fresh start and new opportunity for a reason, and that we can come back stronger than ever before.
I think we should take this opportunity to grow and better ourselves despite (or perhaps in light of) the pandemic and the chaos that went with it. This past year and a half has been frightening for us all, but I think the uncertainty and fear have given us a new perspective on the world around us. For me, the shutdown has helped me to be grateful for the things I have, and for the people I love.
People have emerged as heroes in their own right during the pandemic — healthcare workers, public service workers, teachers. The vast majority of these people are deprived of the recognition they deserve, yet they still work hard to do their duty. Sounds pretty similar to the situations most veterans are in, doesn’t it? Most people, including me, will never fully understand what these heroic men and women go through during training and battle; we can only hope to offer our compassion and gratitude in compensation.
We should all learn from how these people step up to challenges and take them as opportunities for a positive change. Our founding fathers knew a change had to be made from their former way of life when they took up the challenge of creating a new government, a new country. They were faced with the daunting task of creating something from nothing, and they succeeded, by laying the foundation for the greatness that our country contains today. Notice how this success came about because a drastic happening (the Revolutionary War) forced these people to go through changes and experience growth — positive growth!
Currently, we are in the volatile, yet full-of-potential situation of determining our next move, and I think we should be grateful for this opportunity. I challenge each and every one of you to think about how you can improve your mindset, your personal situation, and the situation of others. These changes don’t have to be lofty ambitions, but merely simple pledges to put effort towards improvement — even the smallest action can have a lasting effect on someone for the better. As most of us have learned over the past year or two, many people are going through difficult challenges that we can’t see; being kind is always the right thing, though not always the easy thing. Kindness is a weapon (or, rather, a tool) that has no violent repercussions. Rather, acts of kindness can achieve great things.
Just as the veterans, healthcare workers, and other heroes of America don’t always get recognition for their bravery, you won’t always get recognition for your kindness or good works. However, the satisfaction of doing the right thing will be a generous reward in its own right. I hope everyone is willing to adopt a positive mindset and realize we don’t have to go back to “normal” but instead go forward to “better.” If we can all learn from the examples of the brave men and women who aid and defend our country in more ways than one, strive to improve ourselves and show kindness in all situations, we can grow from the 2020 pandemic and come back stronger in light of our challenges.
Kyra Arndt, 2nd place
Voice of Democracy contest
America: Where do we go from here?
Our country is divided. That might be the understatement of the century. Never has this division been as apparent as in the last year or so. Issues such as racial injustice, police brutality, climate change, and more have been brought to light. Our politics have become hostile, driving violence to erupt. Throw in a global pandemic, and you can see the great distress in our country. While most everyone is concerned with the multitude of issues and hardships our country is facing, we all have opposing opinions on how to solve them. Americans are standing further left or right than we ever have before, even if it is tearing relationships–and our country–apart.
As Abraham Lincoln is famously quoted, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” And so, Americans cannot be so far separated. In order to fix the current issues and hardships, we need to come together. But how do we do that?
When writing this essay, I thought assiduously about that question. Surely, there must be a complicated answer for such a complicated subject. Then, it hit me – the answer is simple. Painfully simple. Advice we have all heard before, so frequently I’m afraid I might be docked points for originality. Americans need to listen to each other, respect different points of view, and embrace our similarities.
Regardless of what political party you support, the vast majority of us would say we hold the previously mentioned principles. However, I invite you to question yourself: how many of those principles do you actually carry out? Are you ever so upset that somebody ignores your opinion, so in turn do the same to them? Perhaps you claim to respect all beliefs, but you can’t stand it when somebody close to you holds an opposing one. And is there someone whom you find it impossible to get along with, simply because they’re so different?
If we’re being honest, the majority of us have fallen short of these values. I’ve found that while most of us want our views to be respected, we refuse to respect others’ perspectives. Naturally, these are all very broad statements. While I encourage using common sense when applying these morals, this doesn’t mean we should dismiss them altogether. If even one person is able to admit their mistakes and fix the behavior accordingly, it opens the door for others to do the same. Following these morals allows us to see each other as people, fellow Americans, working together for one goal.
At the end of the day, all of us just want what is best for our country. Worries about the current situation can make us question how to move on. Unfortunately, the differing opinions we form prevent us from making progress. However, if we earnestly listen to each other, respect varying views, and embrace our similarities, Americans are to come together. America is only as great as those who make it up, so it’s time to start working with each other, not against.
Parker Krage
1st Place, Patriot’s Pen Contest
What It Means to be American
This is what I think being an American means. Being an American means you have freedom and rights. This country was made from brave men and women who sacrificed everything for this country. They stood up to the most powerful nation at the time and fought for their country. Even today millions of men and women fight for our freedom. They sacrifice their lives so we can have a life with freedom and rights. We should all honor them for their sacrifices.
America is made of many different cultures. It’s a place where people from all over the world come to live. They come here because America has freedom and rights. We are one big community that cares for one another. In America we respect everyone. If someone needs help the whole community will come together and help them. There is so much love and kindness in America.
Being an American means you have the right to make your own decisions on what religion you practice and what language you speak. Being an American means having independence. Being an American means you are equal to everyone else.
If you are American, then you will have a better liberty and justice system. In America the court system is made so all trials are fair. Unlike other countries there are no excessive or cruel punishments.
If you’re American, then you have protection by the police and army. The police are making sure the inside of the country is safe. The armed forces are making sure that there is no outside threat.
If you’re an American you should use all your opportunities to make a change in your community, state, or even the whole country. You should be proud of your country and have pride in being an American.
That is what being American means to me. I’m proud that I’m American and that I have freedoms and rights. I want to thank anyone that served, thanks for all your sacrifices you made for our country.
Brooke Tieskotter, 2nd place Patriot’s Pen contest
How To Be A Good American
There are many things you can do to be a good American. Being a good American has to do with respect. There are many things you do in your day-to-day life to respect America. They are as simple as saying The Pledge Allegiance at school, to bigger things such as raising or lowering your flag in your yard. Let’s take a look at some other ways you can be a good American.
First, you can pay your taxes. You might not realize it but you pay taxes. Whether it’s on a candy bar or a water and electricity bill, paying taxes can help your community and your country. Paying your taxes helps your town fix roads, helps the state pay for schools, helps the country pay the military, and so much more!
Another way you can be a good American is you can vote. Voting is a way you can have a say in our government. You can vote for class president, mayor, state governor, the president, and plenty more. There are many candidates, so you have to make sure you do your research. You have to be positive that the candidate you are voting for has the qualities that are most important to you.
One more way you can be a good citizen is to respect our country’s flag. Our flag represents our country and our freedom. By disrespecting our flag you’re disrespecting our country. It is disrespectful to burn, step on, or throw away an American flag which means don’t do it! You also have to always have a light on an American flag. Some people don’t appreciate our freedom and take our flag for granted.
As you can see, there are many ways to be a good American and have respect for America. As R.G. Risch once said, “Respect is a two-way street, if you want to get it, you’ve got to give it.” It’s simple for respectful American citizens to respect our American flag. We live in a great country with a lot of freedom, but that doesn’t mean do whatever you want. You still have to follow rules and guidelines, but you still have many freedoms. Just don’t take them for granted. So remember to pay your taxes, respect the American flag, and vote. That is how you can be a good American and keep our country great!