A flag flies near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 18. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
Two Maine students were among 150 winners across the country of a nationwide essay contest reflecting on what America means to them.
The two students from Acton and Oxford were among 75 second-place winners of “America’s Field Trip,” a national competition encouraging students to reflect on what America means to them. Each second-place winner wins a $500 cash prize, while first-place awardees receive special behind-the-scenes experiences at American historical or cultural sites, such as the Statue of Liberty in New York City, or the Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
The contest is a part of the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence signing.
“These young Mainers see the best of America’s promise and give me so much hope for our country’s future,” said Secretary of State Shenna Bellows in a statement. “As we approach the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, I look forward to seeing more of what our state’s young people have to say.”
One of the essays, written by a high school student identified as Sam D. from Acton, emphasized the importance of checks and balances within our system of government. As an example, the essay described former president Bill Clinton’s 1996 veto of a partial-birth abortion ban, which she said stopped the implementation of laws that could limit the types of abortion procedures that could be offered.
“As a young woman in America, this veto is very important to me since it helps protect abortions in cases where the mothers life could be endangered,” she wrote. “Furthermore, the veto to me displays the importance of the president, which is to provide oversight.”
Sam D. also highlights a U.S. Supreme Court case, Tinker v. Des Moines, in which the high court ruled students protesting the war in Vietnam were protected under the First Amendment.
The other winning Maine essay, by Oxford elementary school student Delaney B., got its point across in a few short sentences: “America is freedom. Its diversity. It’s my home and the place I love. I recently traveled to NYC and I was so excited to see all the landmarks and actually be in the places I’ve learned about. I’m excited for my future because I feel like there’s a lot to look forward to. I feel like if us Americans work together we can achieve anything. That means coming together, doing the right thing and working towards goals. I think those goals are respect, inclusion and peace.”
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