Sertoma Club hosts banquet for essay contest

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The Sertoma Club of Jackson County conducted its annual Freedom Banquet on Feb. 22.

Katherine Veatch, a sixth-grader from Immanuel Lutheran School in Seymour, was named the winner in the service club’s annual “What Freedom Means to Me” essay contest.

She is the daughter of Marvin and Beth Veatch, of Seymour.

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Levi Pottschmidt of Lutheran Central School in Brownstown and Brady Blann of Brownstown Central Middle School were named runners-up, and Isabel Lubia of Sandy Creek Christian Academy, Anthony Juarez of St. Ambrose Catholic School and Hailey Owens of the Seymour Middle School Sixth Grade Center received honorable mention.

The students and their families and teachers were the guests of honor during the banquet at First United Methodist Church in Seymour. Each student received an American flag set, a pin and a copy of the Constitution, and the winner and runners-up received a monetary award, too.

All sixth-grade classes in Jackson County were invited to participate in the contest, said event chairman Chuck Seybold. Some teachers use the essay contest as a class writing assignment.

Veatch is a student of Charlie Smith.

What Freedom Means to Me

Katherine Veatch, sixth-grader at Immanuel Lutheran School

I listen to the crickets as their chirps fill the sounds of the cool night air. I watch the sun  stretch over the golden stalks of corn dancing, over the horizon, to the rhythm of the wind.

What does freedom mean to me?

We fought for independence, for liberty, for our country. We sacrificed lives. We gave up  things we loved. Because of that, we have freedom. Because of freedom, we are free. In this country, we have our own rights. We have our own laws. We have freedom.

In this country, we can speak what we want to speak, believe what we want to believe, work where we want to work and do what we want to do. Across the world, people don’t have these choices. They can’t speak out or stand out. They can only dream under the stars of a better environment.

As you can see, freedom is not free. It takes hard work and determination to get where we are today.

We should be grateful of the things we have but sometimes don’t acknowledge them. We never take time to stop and realize how amazing it is to have these rights.

Freedom means independence. It means breaking free from the barrier that held us back. Freedom means to be strong. Freedom is not a choice. It’s earned.

Here, we live in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

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Winners in Sertoma of Jackson County’s annual “What Freedom Means to Me” essay contest

First place: Katherine Veatch, a sixth-grader from Immanuel Lutheran School

Runners-up: Levi Pottschmidt of Lutheran Central School in Brownstown and Brady Blann of Brownstown Central Middle School

Honorable mention: Isabel Lubia of Sandy Creek Christian Academy, Anthony Juarez of St. Ambrose Catholic School and Hailey Owens of the Seymour Middle School Sixth Grade Center

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