STAMFORD—Nineteen city students were recently honored for their history-based writing in the Stamford Daughters of the American Revolution American Essay Contest.
“We want to promote history, education of kids and patriotism,” said Katie Sumner, DAR chapter regent and contest judge. “The quality of the essays were nice.”
The students, in grades five through nine, received a certificate and first-place winners read samples of their essays at a ceremony this week at the Harry Bennett Library. Students in fifth through eighth grades shared essays written about remembering World War I, told from the imagined first-person perspective of someone who lived through it. The high school students wrote about Christopher Columbus as part of the Knights of Columbus sponsored portion of the contest.
Jack Boyle, 12, placed first among sixth-graders after earning second place last year. He wrote about the effects of advances in technology leading to an increase in unemployment after World War I.
“I wanted something that could bring the reader into my story,” said Boyle, a student at Catholic Academy of Stamford. “In my stories I write, I always like making details. I just tried to picture myself in the ‘20s and tried to imagine what would life be like for a kid my age.”
Stamford High’s Vishnu Ramesh earned first place in the 10th-grade essay portion, while the first- and second-place winners for the 11th-grade portion attend Westhill.
The essays were judged by two members of the DAR Stamford chapter as well as a member of the Stamford Historical Society.
By Erin Kayata | Stamford Advocate
(In the photo) Front row left: Mariza Klimala, grade 8 – Robby Grande, grade 8 – Jack Boyle, grade 7
Middle back row: 5th grader – Hannah Reyna.
Back row left: Olivia Cieciwa, grade 6 – Penelope Shannon, grade 6
Top row right: John Thomas, grade 5