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Three Pella Middle School students were awarded for essays they wrote as part of a contest held by VFW Post 5242. Russ Bossard says students from sixth to eighth grade were challenged to write essays about what makes America great, as part of a larger national outreach effort called Patriot’s Pen.

“It’s a national program and then all of the state and local VFW posts host different levels of the competition,” he says. “Here in Pella at VFW Post 5242, we offered the opportunity to anybody between sixth and eighth grade.”

Student Nora Ausman won 1st place in Pella and 3rd in the VFW’s regional district. Anna German & Daria Haynie tied for 2nd place. The three students all say it was an important opportunity to express their views as to why freedom is important and to share a message during a difficult political time. Hear more from the winners on Monday’s Let’s Talk Pella.

Nora Ausman: What-makes-America-Great_

Daria Haynie: What-makes-america-great__

Anna German: Anna-German-What-Makes-America-Great_