Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest Announces Winners

This week we present the winner of the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen essay contest. The contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history by drafting a 300- to 400-word essay expressing their views based on the theme: How Can I Be a Good American?

Jake Larson earned first place and $150, Blake Ouradnik took second place and a prize of $50, and Emilia Bass came in third and received $50.

These students placed fourth through 13th place and received $10 each: Ethan Becker, Reaghan Buchner, Halyn Rasmussen, Kylie Fitzgerald, Abby House, Celeste Jauregui, Olive Wisniewski, Amelia Zoschke, Alexander Helm and Luke McCormack.

How Can I Be A Good American?

by Jake Larson

I can be a good American by helping and supporting my community. Helping people can be one of the most important things in the world. If you see someone that is hurt, you can help them if they need it. The little things that you help people with make the most impact in their lives. Being a good American can come in different ways such as, following the laws, being respectful and responsible with the things you borrow in your community.

I can also be a good American by not hurting others but by helping others in my community and others in this society. I can be a better citizen by not judging others in my community and respecting others around the globe. I can be a good American citizen by making others feel like they belong where they are now. I can also be a good citizen by helping my parents, friends, siblings or any people who are part of my family. Being a good citizen is gonna happen mostly if you follow laws and the rules in just where you are.

I can be a good citizen by following the laws, keeping the community clean, being respectful and being gentle with the things around me. I can be a good citizen by respecting other people’s opinions. That’s what is most important. Getting a good job is always good so you can make good money and support you and your family. Being a good American also comes with giving people compliments such as: “Hey sir I like your car” or “Hey ma’m I like your house” or anything nice or respectful. I can help people that are down by asking them what’s wrong or help them out.

I can learn to help society by cutting my lawn, watering the plants, helping an old lady cross the street, or working with my parents. I can make money from doing stuff like chores or anything to keep the house clean. Also, raking leaves keep the lawn clean. Those are some of the most important things to help out your parents and work. I can be a good American by doing really well in school and working my hardest by acing tests and getting really good grades and paying attention. School is really important for kids to attend and for some adults if they want to go to college.

I can be a good American by doing school, doing homework and paying attention. Doing school is really important because if you don’t do school you won’t learn and you won’t be smart enough to be good at anything like sports or your job because you need math later in your life to do work. Reading is also important because you need to read later in life or how would you do anything if you can’t read words.

I can be a good American citizen by being responsible. Being responsible comes with keeping track of your things, being responsible with your things by not breaking them and using them respectfully, and keeping them safe. I can be a good American by paying attention in school and doing my work and homework. I can learn by doing what I’m told and not messing around.

And that’s why being a good American is important and helps you along the way of life. Being a good American comes with all the responsibilities and the paragraphs that I explained so responsibilities, being safe and respectful are the three most important things. 

Being a good American is more than just being nice, it most importantly means respecting the people who died for us and served for the USA to let us Americans be free. If we did not have veterans or people serving now in any military branch we would have no freedom, no freedom of religion, no freedom of speech, and none of us would be alive right now. Respecting the people who served in any military branch or the ones that are currently serving is really important for being a good American. 

As Donald Trump said, “It is time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget: that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots, we all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American Flag.” Always help out others so that you can make them feel good about themselves and so they can be good Americans too. I can be a good American by making myself comfortable in my home.