Students pen essays on why they honor the American flag

Veterans, students, families and community members gathered inside the American Legion on late Sunday afternoon to recognize essays written by students from third through eighth grade on why they honor the American flag.

Put on by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1146, the awards program highlighted the three top-placing students in each grade for the quality of their essays. Each of the students who finished in first place in their respective grade read their essays to the packed crowd, and each of the top three finishers in each grade were awarded a gift bag.

Seventeen students in all parti...