Rehoboth VFW Post 7447 names youth essay winners

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Rehoboth Beach Post 7447 held an awards ceremony Jan. 20 to recognize winners of its Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen essay contests. Local high school students submitted audio essays of three to five minutes on the 2018-19 theme of Why My Vote Matters for the Voice of Democracy contest, and middle school students wrote 300-400-word Patriot’s Pen essays on Why I Honor the American Flag.

Madeline Betts of Sussex Academy received the first-place Voice of Democracy award of $200 from the Post and $125 from the Auxiliary; Emily Moody of Cape Henlopen High School received $150 from the Post and $100 from the Auxiliary for second place. In the Patriot’s Pen contest, first-place winner Elianna Christenbury was awarded $100 each from the Post and the Auxiliary; Elisha Jones in second place won $75 from each group, and Keda Mae Timmons received the two third-place prizes of $50. All three students attend Lighthouse Christian School.

Lighthouse Christian School teacher Jacqueline Jones was recognized for her support of the contests with $50 gifts of appreciation from the Post and the Auxiliary.