Each year the

VFW sponsors the competition, which is open to middle school students.

A total of 19 essays were submitted to the competition from Flat Rock,

J.C. Booth and Rising Starr Middle Schools. Students were asked to write

a 300-400 word essay based on this year's national theme, "My Pledge

to America."

Erin T. Day,

eighth grade, took first place in the competition and was awarded a $150

United States Savings Bond. Cory A. McElmurray, eighth grade, took second

receiving a $100 savings bond and Haley J. Weiland, eighth grade, placed

third and earned a $50 savings bond. The teachers from Rising Starr who

submitted the student's winning essays were JoAnn Rouse and Holly Pritchett.

Day's first-place

essay will automatically advance to the district competition, taking her

one step closer to competing at the national level where the first place

winner will receive a savings bond worth $10,000.

"We were

very pleased with all of the entries submitted. It was hard to choose

between them but we had to pick one first-, second- and third-place winner,"

says Charles Carter of the Peachtree City VFW.

Essays were

judged on three areas of writing: how well the student addressed the theme,

clarity of idea and theme development throughout the piece.

The three essay

winners along with their families and teachers will be honored Dec. 13

at a dinner held in their honor at Shadows restaurant in Peachtree City.

At the dinner, the winners will receive plaques and certificates commemorating

their achievements.