Pilot Mountain VFW Post 9436 and the VFW Auxiliary announced the winning entry last week in the “Patriot’s Pen” student essay contest.
As part of their January meeting, VFW Post 9436 Commander Van Cooke and Auxiliary President Margie Nichols recognized the winning entry of Aiden Richardson. Richardson was awarded a certificate of appreciation and a monetary gift from each group.
The annual contest is open to sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students in public, private, parochial and home schools.
Aiden, age 14, is an eighth-grade student at Pilot Mountain Middle School. He is a member of the school swim team and golf team and is a member of the year-round PAC swim team in Pilot Mountain.
Aiden is also a member of his church’s youth group, sings in the choir, is a Boy Scout and is a junior firefighter with the Pilot Knob Volunteer Fire Department.
He is the son of Damion and Kara Richardson of Pilot Mountain. His grandparents are E.W. and Effie Sue Utt of Pilot Mountain, Frank and Ro Pettway of Stuart, Virginia and Lee Richardson and Kim Hopkins of Hilton Head, South Carolina. A great grandmother is Ruby Carrington of Hillsville, Virginia.
Aiden’s essay has been forwarded to the district level of competition for judging. Winners will advance to the department level with winners at that level advancing to national competition.
The first place winner in the national competition will be awarded a $5,000 prize along with an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the student and his or her guardian.
Each year, more than 100,000 students take part in the competition.
“The VFW and the VFW Auxiliary are proud to have Aiden representing our post,” Auxiliary President Margie Nichols said. “We wish him the very best in this contest and in the future.”
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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