Legion honors talented students

The Van Ells-Schanen American Legion Auxiliary Unit 82 presented awards to Port Washington-Saukville School District students who excelled in two contests recently. The annual Americanism Essay Contest, which had students writing about what patriotism means to them, was won by Sonya Nikolai, a seventh-grader at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, with honorable mention going to Josephine Ryder, a sixth-grader at T.J. Two $500 scholarships were awarded to Port High seniors Ashley Giese and Benjamin Falkenberg. Participating in the event were (from left) Jim Schmidt of the Legion Post 82, T.J. social studies teacher Kathy Tubbs, Unit 82 President  Diane Burkhalter, sixth grade social studies teacher Jen Meerdink, Ryder, T.J. Principal Steve Sukowaty, Nikolai, Giese, Falkenberg and Unit 82 Second Vice President Tina Mach.                 Photo by Sam Arendt