Students Sweep Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest

Three Regents Academy students won all three places in this year’s Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Patriot’s Pen essay contest among all 6th-8th grade students in Nacogdoches County. Students submitted essays with the theme, “The America I Believe In” to the local post last fall, and Mr. Don Kirkley with VFW Post 3893 recently came to the school to present our students their awards. Eighth graders Caroline Alders and Sophie Jordan won first and second places respectively, and seventh grade Grant Cooper won third place for their Patriot’s Pen essays. Caroline’s essay also placed first at the district-level contest.

Senior Sarah Grace Alders placed third for her audio essay with this year’s theme, “My Responsibility to America” in the VFW Voice of Democracy high school contest. All four students were awarded monetary prizes ranging from $25 to $500.

Pictured, from left, are Sarah Grace Alders, Commander Don Kirkley, Sophie Jordan, Caroline Alders, and Grant Cooper.