News : Vinton American Legion Announces Fifth Grade Flag Essay Winners

Every year the Iowa American Legion holds a Fifth Grade Flag Essay contest, asking the students what the American Flag means to them. This year eighty-six students of the Vinton-Shellsburg Fifth Grade Class submitted an essay to the Vinton American Legion. The members of George G. Luckey Post 57 are proud to announce our winners:

First Place: Samantha Walton of Mrs. Lorenzen's class.

Second Place: Leah Hendrickson of Mr. Meyer's class.

Third Place: Taylor Anderson of Mrs. Gordan's class.

Congratulations to our winners and to all of the other students that submitted an essay please allow me to say, “Job well done.” Miss Walton's essay has been submitted for consideration at the State Level.

Samantha Walton's Essay

What does the flag represent to me? The flag means multiple things to me. When I see the flag I remember everyone who fought for our country, and the lives lost. When I look at the flag I think of the people fighting for our country, soldiers, police and everyone else. When I see the flag it shows pride and justice to our country and makes me happy to be an American. The flag shows honor to America. The flag proves that we are a strong country and we will remain strong. It shows we are a free country. The flag also shows respect to our country, so we show respect to the flag. The flag represents safety. I know I'll be save to live here and so will everyone else. The flag represents joy for everyone who has lived here before and everyone else who will.

To me the flags colors mean, triumph and victory, blue stands for sorrow and sadness in the lives lost, and red all the blood lost and shed on the battlefields. The flag shows me that there are people out fighting for our country, all the lives lost and sacrifices people have made to keep everyone safe. What does the flag represent to me? The flag means that our country is strong and will continue fighting for our country to remain free.

Leah Hendrickson's Essay

THE UNITED STATES FLAG IS IMORTANT

The United States Flag has thirteen stripes that stand for the original thirteen colonies. The stripes are red and white. The red stripes signifies hardness and valor. The white stripes signifies purity and innocence. In the top left hand corner there are fifty white stars on top of a patch of blue. Blue the color of the chief signifies vigilance perseverance and justice. The stars are symbols of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time. The stripes are symbols of rays of light emanating from the sun.

The proper way to dispose an American Flag when it is no longer a fitting emblem is to destroy it in a dignified way, preferably burned. Some veterans said they would take it to a military base for destruction so it is done properly. Other places they recommend a VFW post (Veteran of Foreign Wars) or an American Legion Post, a police station or any other government site. Some people sat that if a flag touches the ground that you have to burn it that is not true.

In 1814 Francis Scott Key wrote a poem which was later set to music and in 1931 becomes America's national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The poem originally titled “The Defense of Fort McHenry,” was written after Key witnessed the Maryland fort being bombarded by the British during the War of 1812. Key was inspired by the sight of a lone U.S. flag still flying over Fort McHenry at daybreak, as reflected in the now famous words of “The Star Spangled Banner”: “And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.” This is what inspired Key to write this song the Star Spangled Banner.

Taylor Anderson's Essay

Flag Essay

The flag is our country represents the veterans that risked their life in the wars that make the whole United States a free county. The flag has thirteen stripes that represent the thirteen colonies of the The United States and fifty stars that represents every state in the United States the flag has three colors red, white and blue.

The flag means a lot to me the flag is at places like hospitals, police stations, funeral homes, etc., to me the flag is a symbol of the United States and freedom and I hope it will be that way for years to come (hopefully forever).

The flag should always be respected and never disrespected you should always put the fag up in nice weather not rain or snow or any of the bad weather, and when you are by the American flag you never, ever punch it or pull it down or anything like that.

You should always fold the flag one certain way and also when you get a chance to hold it you should say to the person I would be honored to, then you will probably want to hold it with respect and don't fool around while holding it.

I have never actually held a flag but I think it would be cool to hold one cause I know it means a lot to the families of the veterans and the veterans themselves. I would like all the veterans to be remembered not for just being in the forces, but for fighting in the wars that make our country a free country and for just being themselves and helping when something bad happens in a place our of the country they are always there for us, all I have to say is thank you, very much.