Ellenville held a special ceremony for the winners of the inaugural Memorial Day Essay Contest on May 22. This meaningful contest was sponsored by the Honorable Charles J. Dechon, a veteran who wanted to encourage students to reflect deeply on Memorial Day's significance.
Students competed in two categories: participating Grade 10-12 students wrote 750-word essays on "Has Memorial Day Lost Its Meaning?" while students in Grades 7-9 composed 500-word essays on "Why Do We Observe Memorial Day?"
The Honorable Dechon spoke with the winning students, expressing his appreciation for their thoughtful efforts to understand the true meaning and importance of this day that honors those who gave their lives in service to our country. Though competition was fierce, first, second, and third place prizes were awarded in each grade group.
We're incredibly proud of our students for applying both their minds and hearts to these powerful essays. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to the Honorable Charles J. Dechon for his generous support of our students' education and for helping them connect with this important national observance.
(Not all winning students are pictured.)
We’re proud of our winning essayists:
Grades 10-12
First prize: Gage Jones, Grade 10
Second prize: Alena Kasumaj, Grade 10
Third prize: Hayden Budd, Grade 11
Grades 7-9
First prize: Treshaun Harris, Grade 8
Second prize: Liam Ochse, Grade 9
Third prize: Isabella Colon, Grade 9