News : Legion honors 5th grade Flag Essay winners

Each year the American Legion of Iowa holds a “Fifth Grade Flag Essay” contest which begins at the Post level. The students are asked to write about what the American flag means to them. This year George G Luckey Post57 received essays from 61 fifth grade students of the Shellburg Elementary School. The members of Post 57 are proud to announce our winners:

1st Pace: Aspen Ahrenholz of Mrs Lorenzen's class.

2nd Place: Brynn Staab of Ms Gordan's class.

3rd Place: Brant Ortner of Mr Meyer's class.

Congratulations to our winners and a heart felt thank you to all the students that submitted an essay. Job well done.

Aspen Ahrenholz's Essay

Our Freedom Flag

To me, the American Flag represents freedom, and the bravery of veterans. It means to respect it by not letting it drag on the ground and removing your hats when honoring the flag.

It represents freedom because in the war, that's what we fought for. Our flag was in the war, and after we won, our flag then represented our freedom. That's why we respect our flag in songs, some of them talk about how our flag was still there in the war.

It represents veteran's bravery because they fought and sacrificed themselves for our freedom. Lots of people died. My grandpa is a veteran, and it's an honor to know a veteran. I know that people died, because people told me, and I've read it in books.

We shouldn't let the flag tough the ground, because people always say it isn't respectful. I doesn't lose it power, like people used to think, but we still can be respectful by following this rule. I watch a video called: For Which it Stands, and it said to not let the flag touch the floor, followed by some other ways to respect the flag.

The flag represents our home in America. It represents our veterans, and our freedom we fought for. So, I think we should take care of our flag, take care of the objects that represents our home, and our freedom.

We could do this by

• Removing our hats when we say the pledge.

• Putting our hands on our hearts when honoring the flag

• Disposing of flags by burning them

• not letting the flag touch the ground

Brynn Staab's Essay

FLAG ESSAY

The flag to me means freedom. It means that I can live a safe life without anybody telling me what to do. Like they won't tell you what job you have to do when you get older. Also it means you just look at the flag then you can see who many states we have then kids get smarter at their states and in school. Did you know that the flag started without stars on it, it started without stars then it started to change and then it got more stars then more and more. The stars stand for how many states we have in the United States of America. That is why it is called the United States of America cause all of the states started to come together and became one big country. To show the flag respect you take off your hat and take your right hand and put it on your heart while a person comes out and sings the Star Spangle Banner or when you have to say the Pledge of Allegiance, it also shows respect to the veterans they usually do that at competitions and games. Also when the flag gets old and it starts to rip people have a special ceremony to burn the flag and get a new one. The flag is very important to everyone because then when the flag is up they know that there is freedom in the United States of America, and know that they can be free to do things they want to do. When the flag is all the way up it means it is a good day and if the flag is half way down it means it is a warning of it is a sad and gloomy day.

Brant Ortner's Essay

Flag Essay

The flag show pride and greatness for our county. When I hear the National Anthem I think of all of the people who sacrificed their life and time. Most people may think the flag is just a piece of fabric but it has a meaning to me. The red on the flag shows the blood shed on the battlefield. The white represents the victory and triumph of our great nation. Lastly, the color blue for the sadness and sorrow felt because of lives lost in wars for our country.

The people who died in war are brave souled and very strong to go in war and sacrifice their lives for the country. I always thing of the people who served when I hear the national anthem. I thank all of the people who have served for us and to protect us. I am thankful for the men and women who put their life on the line to protect us and our country.

There has been many flags all with different meaning. The first flag represented the first thirteen colonies. But today it's way different. The flag now has fifty stars thirteen stripes that are red and white. The flag means a lot to me I hope it means something to you.