Patriotic student writers

A group of Thomas Jefferson Middle School students and their teachers gathered recently to receive awards for the annual Patriot Pen essay contest sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. They included (front row, from left) Aiden Lusher, Jameson Beaver, Wyatt Behrandt, Eleanor Huis, who also won the district Patriot Pen contest and came in third in the state, Madeline Klement,  Diane Burkhalter, chairman of the VFW Post 5373 Youth Activities and Scholarship, (second row) Madalyn Clark, Abbi Schreiner, Kendall Johnson, Sonya Nikolai, Post 5373 Quartermaster Jim Schmidt, Post Commander Craig Heatwole, (back row) teachers Aaron Hepp, Jennifer Meerdink, Zach Prohuska, Kathy Tubbs and Assistant Principal Jodi Swagel.         Photo by Sam Arendt