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Madison LaDuke was the first-place winner for a competition called “Young American Creative Patriotic Art.” The theme was “Illustrating America.” Ms. LaDuke also won second place at the state-level competition. She is pictured with Frances Marcil, VFW Post 1143 Auxiliary scholarship chair. Bob Beckstead/Watertown Daily Times
Third-grader Kadien Mae Lawrence, 8, took first place in a category called “Excited for the Red, White and Blue,” in which students in grades kindergarten through 12 were invited to record a solo performance of “The Star Spangled Banner.” Bob Beckstead/Watertown Daily Times
Guests look over some of the patriotic art that was on display at VFW Post 1143 in Massena. Bob Beckstead/Watertown Daily Times
Madison LaDuke was the first-place winner for a competition called “Young American Creative Patriotic Art.” The theme was “Illustrating America.” Ms. LaDuke also won second place at the state-level competition. She is pictured with Frances Marcil, VFW Post 1143 Auxiliary scholarship chair. Bob Beckstead/Watertown Daily Times
Third-grader Kadien Mae Lawrence, 8, took first place in a category called “Excited for the Red, White and Blue,” in which students in grades kindergarten through 12 were invited to record a solo performance of “The Star Spangled Banner.” Bob Beckstead/Watertown Daily Times
VFW Post 1143 Commander Steve O’Brien discusses a piece of art his granddaughter had entered for a competition. The art is based on a photograph of Mr. O’Brien with a Vietnamese boy during the Vietnam War. Bob Beckstead/Watertown Daily Times
Winners of patriotic art contests sponsored by the VFW Post 1143 Auxiliary in Massena pose for a group shot following an awards ceremony. Bob Beckstead/Watertown Daily Times
MASSENA — Young artists were spotlighted by the VFW Post 1143 Auxiliary this week during a recognition ceremony at the Massena post.
A new program called “Illustrating America” is an art contest for students in kindergarten through grade eight who are enrolled in public, private or parochial school, or home study programs. The contest is divided into three divisions — K-2, 3-5, and 6-8, and entries were judged on patriotic theme and technique.
In the K-2 category, Ivy Ploof took first place, Thea Bresett took second place and Piper Monroe was the third-place winner.
Winners in the 3-5 group were Eden Lee Burnett (first place), Gillian Girard (second place), and Arianna Michele Barnes (third place).
Collin Earl was the first-place winner for the 6-8 category, followed by Kristy Summers (second place), and Jordyn Mouthorp (third place).
Because of the number of entries, honorable mentions were also awarded. For the 3-5 category, it was Kira Currier and Reese Shorette. For the 6-8 category, it was Jaleigha Goodreau and Edward Hubert.
In a separate category, “Excited for the Red, White and Blue,” students in grades kindergarten through 12 were invited to record a solo performance of “The Star Spangled Banner. That contest was divided into two grade divisions — K-8 and 9-12. Third-grader Kadien Mae Lawrence, 8, took first place in that competition.
Winners for a competition called “Young American Creative Patriotic Art” were also announced. The categories were K-2, 3-5, and 6-8, and the theme was “Illustrating America.”
“A couple of years ago, one of them won at the New York state level, which was very exciting for us to have that happen,” said Frances Marcil, the auxiliary scholarship chair.
She said they received eight entries from Massena, nine from Franklin Academy and one from Brushton-Moira this year.
‘We’re looking to increase that next year,” Ms. Marcil said. “One of my judges was the art teacher from Salmon River, and after seeing the work that she was called to judge, she said, ‘I will be pushing my students to have some entries next year.’ So, we’ll look forward to that.”
Madison LaDuke was the first-place winner, and her entry was sent to the state competition, where it garnered a second-place finish.
Second place went to Dominick Sheman, while Adrianna Summers placed third, Annaliese Jeror placed fourth, and Hailey LaShomb and Logan White received honorable mentions.
VFW Post 1143 Commander Steve O’Brien accepted the award for Ms. LaShomb, his granddaughter, who was practicing for the lacrosse playoffs.
“Hailey honored her grandfather by doing a copy of a picture,” Ms. Marcil said.
In her accompanying essay, Ms. LaShomb wrote, “Patriotism is a lot of things. The greatest example of it in my personal life is my grandfather. He served in Vietnam and in the process lost his best friend and earned two Purple Hearts. The walls of his house are decorated with drawings, pictures, medals and many other things from Vietnam.”
The picture showed Mr. O’Brien and a young boy in Vietnam.
“The title of my photo is named ‘the boy’ because the boy in the drawing was actually just known as ‘boy’ to everyone at the camp. This was just one of the many incredible people my grandpa met in the many years he dedicated to our country. This photo shows patriotism to me because my grandfather sacrificed so much for our country and still is a part of the VFW today,” she wrote. “People like this are what influence more people, especially younger people to be more patriotic. He has taught me so many important life lessons and shaped me into who I am today through his experiences.”
Mr. O’Brien said he was proud of all the students and their families who filled the VFW’s dining room.
“This picture was taken in 1970, two days before I got wounded a second time and spent six months in a hospital, and I am so proud of my granddaughter and your kids,” he said.
Johnson Newspapers 7.1
Reporter/Editor
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