St. George eighth-grader Austin Dudenhoeffer and sixth-grader Paige Loethen earned second and third place, respectively, in the regional Patriots Pen Essay sponsored by the VFW. Their essays were selected from a field of 1,000 entries.
“We are very proud that we had two winners because having two winners from the same school has never been achieved before,” said Principal Lisa Grellner. “Not only is this a testament to our students’ talents, but their teachers as well.”
Both students wrote their essays in response to the question, “What is Patriotism to Me?”
Dudenhoeffer wrote, “Harry S. Truman once said, ‘America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination, and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.’ This quote couldn’t be more true. Every single American soldier had courage. Soldiers had an image of what they wanted their country to be like, and they had the determination to do it. Soldiers are fighting for our rights every day because they have the courage to fight for what they want our country to be. They stand up for our country and fight for OUR rights because they have no fear. To me, patriotism isn’t just saying you believe in America or standing up for our country. It’s doing those things.
“A true patriot would believe in America,” Dudenhoeffer’s essay continued. “True patriots always believe. They would do anything to help their country grow and be an overall better country. George Washington was a great example of believing in America. He led the American Revolution. Washington kept fighting for the country he imagined. He kept fighting and fighting for what he wanted. That’s not just saying you believe but actually showing that you believe. That’s believing in America. That’s what a true Patriot would do, that’s true patriotism.
“A true patriot would also stand up for their country,” Dudenhoeffer continued. “I’m pretty sure every American with true patriotism would do anything they could to stand up for their country. ‘You will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it,’ - John Adams. This quote pretty much says the founding fathers of America did anything (even if that meant dying) to stand up for what they believed in … their country. Fighting for your country isn’t the only way you can show that you will stand up for America. If someone says that America is a bad country, you could tell them how great it actually is. How many countries are free, where the people of our country have your back under any circumstances. In my eyes, that’s true patriotism.
“So what is true patriotism to me? It’s not just saying that you believe or stand up for our country. It’s actively doing those things. To me, Patriotism is demonstrating that you believe and will stand up for America. That’s what patriotism to me is.”
Dudenhoeffer earned $200 for his entry.
Loethen, meanwhile, wrote, “As I sit in the hammock behind my house, I flip through my book about wars in which America has been involved. I reflect on the names of soldiers who have fought worldwide and how they were so passionate about America. American soldiers come from all different places, with their own individual circumstances, from different races, and many nationalities. However, the one thing that they all have in common is their love and loyalty for America, their patriotism.
“When I think of patriotism, I hear the dedication that pounds in every soldier’s heart,” she continued. “Soldiers who wake up in their tent in the morning, ready to protect this country, not knowing if they will return there that night. I worry about myself in everyday life, but to soldiers, it is about protecting more than themselves. It’s about fighting for all people because they believe that protecting this country, as a whole, is more important than their own lives. If we lose America and our freedom, we lose all that we are. Soldiers make sacrifices because of that truth. They proudly put in the effort needed with great valor to protect that red, white, and blue pattern waving in the sky.
“When I think of patriotism, I think of leaders who showed their patriotism through their actions and their impact on America,” Loethen wrote. “The founding fathers, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson are examples of patriots. They sought independence for themselves, this country, and for future generations. Many lives were lost, but they believed in something better for our country.
When I think of patriotism, I am reminded of people in my own community who show their love for America. It’s honoring America all the time, speaking in a high regard, respecting our soldiers, and appreciating all they do. Showing patriotism is all of that, and the placement of our hand over our hearts during the National Anthem to show how proud and thankful we are to be living in America.
As I close my book and slide out of the hammock, I marvel at the value of the word patriotism. I would say that it’s full support and love for one’s country. That is what I observe in the hearts of American soldiers, leaders, and civilians who are proud to be living in the land of the free, one nation under God, with liberty and justice for all. That is patriotism to me.”
Loethen won $100 for her essay.