Dateline: January 3, 2002

Clarendon student wins VFW essay contest 

Clarendon seventh grader Kelsea Hoeltzel has been named the first place winner of the local VFW Patriotic Youth Essay contest by Donley County VFW Post 7782.

Local eighth grader Faith Lockhart and seventh grader Jon McGlaun placed second and third in the contest, which was open to seventh and eighth grade students in Clarendon, Hedley, Claude, and Memphis schools. Clarendon Junior High submitted 51 essays for judging.

“Is Freedom Really Free?” was the theme of this year’s contest.

The three Clarendon students will represent Donley County in the district level of judging. Hoeltzel, Lockhart, and McGlaun will each receive a $50 Savings Bond from the VFW Post 7782 Ladies Auxiliary and will have a chance to win the top national prize of a $10,000 Savings Bond.

All students participating in the contest receive a VFW Youth Essay Certificate of Merit for being an Outstanding Spokesman for the Future.

The members of the VFW and its Ladies Auxiliary appreciate the writers and commend Mr. Marvin Elam and Mrs. Jamie Ward for making the contest a success.

Other students participating in the contest were Katie Askew, Joshua Aguirre, Audrey Bennett, Kate Bennett, Will Betts, Michael Bruce, LaDez Captain, Bret Carter, Haley Carter, Holly Cornell, Chris Cox, Keana Daughtry, Erica Depew, Tyler Drackley, Will Drackley, Tomas Elliott, Lauren Floyd, Stephen Ford, Caitlan Hall, Carmen Hamilton, Robert Harris, Michael Henderson, Chelsea Hoeltzel, Tamera Holland, Kaitlyn Howard, Jeremy Jeffers, Melanie Johnson, Courtney Judd, Jessica Krumwiede, Regan Lemley, Kristin McAfee, Daniel Milburn, Shaunda Moody, Megan Morris, Ryan Petty, Andy Roberts, Morgan Robinson, Jesse Rodriguez, Tiffany Salcido, Cody Scrivner, Sarah Scrivner, Bradley Sell, Haley Shelton, Ben Smith, Chrystal Smith, Chase Thornberry, Kimberly Tolbert, and John Vaught.