Valley Forge students participate in DAVA sponsored essay
Published 8:53 am Tuesday, November 19, 2019
The first place winners read their essays and other students read poems honoring veterans. Pictured are Jason Kane ($15 prize for best picture), Keegan Bowman who led the pledge, Gisele Collier ($50 first place prize for best essay). Max Brace ($50 first place prize for best essay), and Tilda Sullivan and Elijah Burnette who read a poems. The 2nd Place $30 prize was won by Aubree Whitehead and the 3rd Place $15 Essay prize went to Madison Boling. Everyone did a wonderful job on their essays and the DAVA wants to thank all the children who entered the contest. At the end of the ceremony the children presented each veteran with a red rose and thanked him for his service. It was a very rewarding morning for everyone and the veterans who attended were honored to be a part of it.
Gisele Collier's 1st Place Essay.
Max Brace's 1st place Essay.
Jason Kane's Best Picture Winner.
Rory Price's Best Picture Winner.
After the program the children were given the opportunity to talk to the veterans and look at the memorabilia that was on display. The children had lots of questions for the veterans and were very respectful and thanked each veteran for their service.
Frank also brought the Elizabethton Star pages that were dedicated to the brave Carter County soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice during the Vietnam war.
Frank Murray brought copies of the Elizabethton Star that his mother had saved while he was serving in Vietnam and the picture on the left is Frank when he was in Germany prior to going to Vietnam.
Ron Ledford brought his uniform and pictures of when he was a drill instructor.
Tables were set up and the veterans brought memorabilia from their time in service to our country. Pictured above are various items the veterans brought including a shadowbox given to Senior Master Sergeant Alex Murray when he retired from the U.S. Air Force after 23 years of service and a shadowbox that holds the Bronze Star Medal given to his father, Frank Murray for his service in combat in Vietnam.
Special Guest was David Batchelder, Veterans Services Officer for Carter County who spoke to the group about the sacrifices of the men and women in Carter County who have served our country honorably.
Pictured are DAV members Larey Pippin, Sam Rogers, Doug Graybeal, Ron Ledford and Frank Murray as they wait for the ceremony to begin.
The Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary (DAVA) Unit 17 of Elizabethton recently sponsored an essay contest at Valley Forge Elementary.
The title of the essay was “My America: My Heroic Veterans” and fifth graders were invited to enter the contest by telling about the veterans in their family and what being an American means to them. Students were also encouraged to submit illustrations that showed their patriotism.
Friday, Nov. 8, the 3rd, 4th and 5th graders along with family and friends and under the direction of 5th grade teachers Amanda Colbaugh and Ricky Garrison presented a program honoring the veterans of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter 17.
The DAVA recognized the winners of the contest and presented the prizes as part of the ceremony. See more photos on page 10.
