The Perrysburg Exchange Club’s Patriotism Essay Contest is held each November for Hull Prairie Intermediate School and St. Rose Catholic School fifth-graders.
Four HPI students and one St. Rose student won the contest. Each received a $50 check and a patriotism plaque.
By Liam Toon, St. Rose Catholic School
Veterans Day, patriotism, and the American flag mean a lot to me in many ways. People have and continue to sacrifice their lives for us so that we can have our everyday freedoms. American soldiers are protecting us all over the world. Veterans Day is for honoring those people who have given of their time. It is for celebrating their role in keeping our country strong. We should have more than just a handful of days to honor these great people.
Patriotism to me is a quality that can change the country by one good little deed at a time. Patriotism's literal definition is: devotion to and vigorous support for one's country. Something you do every day can change our nation in small ways but also powerful ones. In some ways people like you or me can unite other people, and make a difference in our country. Sadly, we can also tear apart the good in our country. Patriotism to me is the glue in a crack, it brings us together as opposed to tearing us apart.
The American flag is a symbol of our freedom. It is a constant reminder of what we stand for as citizens. According to custom and tradition, white signifies purity and innocence. Red stands for hardiness and valor, and blue signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice. The American flag was designed to represent the new union of the thirteen original states.
My grandfather flies two flags high above. When I get off the bus I can see the American flag and prisoner of war (POW) flag. My grandfather is a Vietnam veteran. He was drafted and served front line infantry for a year in Vietnam. He says that you always fly the American flag at the top of the pole. Sports team flags, state flags, and POW flags must fly below the American flag to show respect. He has the POW flag because it's a reminder of all the people that were his friends who weren’t so lucky. Seeing the flag reminds him to keep them in his prayers. He said “I was never captured, but was close to being captured.”
My grandfather is a purple heart recipient, an award given to those injured in war. He also earned the National Defense Service Medal, Sharpshooter (Rifle M-14), Air Medal, Expert (81 millimeter Mortar), 1 O/S bar, Combat Infantryman Badge, Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Stars, Republic of Vietnam Medal With Device 1960.
My feelings of patriotism have definitely been shaped by having my veteran grandfather living with us. He has taught me about his experiences as a soldier and that has made me appreciate what veterans have done for our nation. I am able to show my own patriotism when I show appreciation for my grandpa and do nice things to take care of him. The American flag shows me how special our nation is, and what American soldiers have done for us. I will continue to fly the American flag to show my allegiance to our country.
By Norman Pudvah, HPI
Veterans Day is an important day for me. My dad was in the Navy in 1996, my great grandpa was in the Air Force for 30 years, and my grandpa was in the Navy in the 1970s. My grandpa currently works at the United States Department of Veteran Affairs helping veterans who are recovering from substance abuse.
Veterans Day is a day that we honor and celebrate the veterans who have served our nation. Some things you can do to celebrate Veterans Day are saying thanks to all the veterans, wearing red white and blue, and saying the pledge. Veterans Day is on November 11. Another thing people can do is donate to the local chapter of Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Our flag represents the values and freedoms that our veterans serve to preserve. We honor our flag by saying the pledge of allegiance and singing or listening to the national anthem.The pledge of allegiance is something we say to honor the American flag. The stars on the flag represent our 50 states and the stripes represent the original 13 colonies.
My mother pledged allegiance to the flag when she became an American citizen on 8/19/21. She legally entered the U.S. in November 2009 on a K-1 visa. She came from Vietnam and had been a U.S Permanent Resident since 2010. She worked hard, studied, took the oath, and met all the requirements to become a citizen.
Those are some ways to celebrate Veterans Day and why Veterans Day is an important day for me and my family. I'm happy to be an American and grateful for our veterans. I am proud to honor our flag and celebrate what it stands for.
By Atalia Richardson, HPI When I see the American
When I see the American flag I see freedom, I see the work that was put in, the lives that were lost, and the hardworking people who fought and are still fighting for this country. When I hear about patriotism I think of everyday things like the Pledge of Allegiance, and the national anthem but I also think of honoring others who are working to protect the country. When I think of Veterans Day I think of the veterans from the different branches, I think of people who were or are in the military–like the Navy, Marines, Army, Coast Guard, Air Force and Space Force.
When I hear about Veterans Day I think about my grandfather. He served in the Navy when he was younger. He gave my mom his Navy coat it’s really cool. When I see his coat, I think of the past and his service. Also when I think of Veterans Day I think of all of the people fighting right now for the country. Why do we celebrate Veterans Day? We celebrate Veterans Day to honor the veterans. So, when I think of Veterans Day I think about how to respect the veterans. Did you know that Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day?
When I think of the American flag I think of freedom, I think of the stars and stripes. The 50 stars for the 50 current states and the 13 stripes stand for the 13 original colonies. The reason I think of the flag as freedom is because of the hard work and perseverance that was put into working for freedom. Did you know that the current American flag was designed by a teenager?
The definition for patriotism is the quality of being patriotic, to show love and support to your country. But when I think of patriotism I think of how people show it, like the national anthem, and the Pledge of Allegiance. Those are only a few examples.
Most importantly as a young American, I think of the future in our country. I think of the future as one where everyone can always be equal to each other and be treated the same because it’s gotten better but it's not always fair for all. Also, when I think of the future, I think of differences like a woman being president for once instead of all men. You now know how I think of the American flag, Veterans Day, patriotism, and how I feel as a young American.
By Regina Avila Fernandez, HPI
Patriotism means “love for one’s country.” I am originally from Mexico and I came here to the U.S when I was only 3 years old. I love the U.S because this country has been so good to me. I am happy living here, I love the culture of this country, and this country has made me feel like an American even though I was not born here. Being a patriot means respecting your country, celebrating your culture, following the rules, doing your job, doing your honest work, defending your country, and doing good for your country.
A flag is a symbol. A symbol is something that stands in representation of things like an idea, a place, etc. The American flag represents this country, the people, the patriots, the history, and the culture. The American flag has 50 stars, 1 for each state of the country, and 13 stripes each representing the original 13 colonies. When I see the American flag, it makes me feel like I belong, that I am loved, proud, and happy.
On Veterans Day we remember the patriots who fought in the war for the freedom of this country. They sacrificed their families, special occasions, their house, their safety, and their liberty for all of us. When I see a veteran I feel very thankful for all that they have done for us. We must value all their effort in not just this day, but every day.
It is always important to celebrate Veterans Day to think about patriotism, The American flag, and about the veterans because they risked their lives for our freedom. So everytime that I see a veteran, I will tell him/her, “Thank you for your service” from the bottom of my heart.
By Ava Krajeski
November 11, 1919, is when it all started. Veterans Day is a very important day in the United States of America. On that day we remember everybody who served our country whether they have passed or not. To me, Veterans Day is very important because I’ve had many family members who all served our country. Both my grandpas, and my uncle were all in the military. I’m very proud and thankful for them and all the other people who risked their lives for us. The American flag, Pledge of Allegiance, and Veterans Day all relate to patriotism. There are many ways we can show patriotism including holidays, flying a flag, wearing red, white, and blue, fireworks, and many more.
Veterans Day is a day to pay our respect to those who have served or those who are serving. It’s one day out of an entire year that we unite to respect veterans. The year 1919 was when Armistice Day became official. Armistice Day was the original Veterans Day and was made to honor the military who served in World War 1. To me, Veterans Day means a day to respect others. We attend assemblies, parades, and many more activities on Veterans Day.
The American flag is a symbol for the USA. It has different features that represent the United States. For example, the 13 stripes represent the original 13 colonies. The 50 stars represent each and every one of the states that we live in. To me, the American flag represents our country and our patriotism to our country and it makes me sad when people burn it or attempt to burn it.
The Pledge of Allegiance is a little song that takes up a couple seconds out of your day to help you express your allegiance to the country. The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892. The reason why we say the Pledge of Allegiance everyday at school is to instill patriotism amongst students. So when you stand proud and start saying “I pledge allegiance to the flag”, every single day you are showing patriotism and respect every single day. To me, the Pledge of Allegiance is just a little way to show respect and when people mess around while saying the pledge of allegiance it makes me unhappy.
All in all, Veterans Day is very important to me. We stand together to respect and thank each and every veteran. Patriotism is key to a great country. Veterans Day, the American flag and the Pledge of Allegiance all make our country better. So stand up and thank a veteran. It’s the least you could do.