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Idaho Enterprise

Lions Club Names Winners of 2023 Essay Contest

At last week’s end of the month assembly, Don Schwartz announced the winners of this year’s patriotism essay contest on behalf of the Malad Lion’s Club.  At last month’s assembly, the Lions Club presented a $500 check to the school on the observation of the “100th Day of school”.  The Lions Club itself will be celebrating its 100th year as an organized club in Malad in April.   Over those 100 years, the Lions Club has been an involved and active member of the community, providing financial assistance as well as volunteer work to a wide range of public interests.  Schools have been a focus of the Lions Club’s efforts from the very beginning, and supporting the cause of promoting the concept of patriotism among students is a time honored tradition.

Students from the 4th and 5th grades at Malad Elementary School were given the theme “What Makes a Good American Patriot?” as their writing prompt, and asked to express their answer to that question in a page of writing.  As you can see from the results, there are some common threads among the responses, but an impressive range of unique voices expressing them.  It is also worth noting that these essays also contain a lot of family history of service in the valley over time, with a number of specific servicemembers mentioned throughout.  


2023 Patriotism Contest “What Makes a Good American Patriot?”

4th grade

1st Cassidy Schrenk—Cook

Patriots are awesome for all of the things.  They Love, are Brave, and Dedicated.  And so so much more.

Patriots love their Country, State, and their World.  They will do their all to make the world a better place.  They won’t give up until it is better.  They love me and you.  That is how much they love their country.

Brave.  Patriots are brave because they are willing to leave at any time to fight in a war or join a march.  Maybe even stand up for something that is right.  I don’t think I could do that.

Dedicated.  Patriots are dedicated to what they are doing.  They are so dedicated like my great grandpa, when he was in World War II.  He stayed up all night to put out a fire.  And if he didn’t do it, the ship, everyone, and the ammunition would have blown up.  It would have been really bad.  So I am so so glad that he was dedicated.  I did not meet him, but I can’t wait until I do in heaven.

In conclusion, Patriots are very important.  If we did not have them, the world would be pretty harsh.  So take a minute and think what the world would be like.  So I hope I can follow their example to make the world a better place. 


2nd McCall Clark—Cook

I want to tell you about what makes a good American patriot.  A good American patriot means that you need to be very loyal, and to care deeply and very much about your country.  They also need to be very selfless.

Being loyal means to be faithful and to be devoted to someone or something.  An example of being loyal is if you hear someone talking about someone else and being rude you should stick up for them even if they aren’t there.

Caring deeply about your country means that you really love your country and that you would do anything for it.  For example you would join the army to fight for our country.  That’s because of how much you love it.

Being selfless means that you care more about someone or something else than yourself.  Examples are to volunteer for something, or to help someone else by putting yourself in danger for them like a fireman would.

Now I hope you liked this and it taught you more about being an American patriot.  Also about what makes a good American patriot, like being loyal, selfless, and to care deeply about your country.


3rd Alyssa Seamons—Schow

I think good American Patriots put their country before even their own lives.  Another word for patriotism is loyalty.

Here are two American Patriots and why they are patriots: John Adams, he was the vice president to George Washington, the 2nd U.S. President, and a Founding Father of the United States.  John Quincy Adams, the son of Founding Father John Adams, he was a politician and diplomat and served as the 6th President of the United States.

I have a grandpa and some great grandpas who were patriots.  My grandpa John Facer served in the Army.  My great grandpa Evan Platt Price served in the Navy in World War II.  And my great grandpa Darrell Godfrey served in the Army in World War II.  They put their country before their own lives and were loyal to those serving with them.

I think kids who are my age can be patriots be showing respect to the flag by placing my hand on my heart when I say the pledge of allegiance every morning at school.  Also, when I hear the national anthem.  Kids can be patriots by showing respect to veterans.

Patriots are amazing people.  They are anyone who served in the military, who was a president of the United States, or someone who puts their country before their own lives.


5th grade

1st Wheeler Smith—Allen

What makes a good American patriot?  In case you didn’t know, a patriot is someone that loves their country a lot.  There are words such as sacrificing, loyal, loving, and humble that describe a good patriot.  Some good examples of Patriots are George Washington, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, and veterans who have fought in wars.  These are things that I think male a good American patriot.

I think a good American patriot is willing to sacrifice for their country, because they love it so much.  Also, a good patriot loves their country and loves the people around them.  A good patriot will treat others the way they want to be treated, because they want their country to be a better place.  A good patriot would also want freedom for their country.  Agood patriot is humble because they don’t boast and are kind to others.  Lastly, patriots are loyal to their country.  

One great example of a Patriot is George Washington.  He was very loyal to his country, he was kind to others, and he wanted freedom for his country.  Another great example of a good patriot is Martin Luther King because he was kind, humble, forgiving to everyone that was mean to him, and especially wanted equal rights for everyone, and for everyone to be treated the same.

Those are things that I think make a good American patriot, and they are ways to be a good American patriot.  Are you a good American patriot?  Or do you know a good American patriot?


2nd Arianna Stoddart—Allen

In my opinion, a good patriot is loyal, sacrificing, and courageous.  These are the reasons why I chose those words.

I think a good American patriot is loyal.  I think patriots are loyal because they all will do everything for their country, and others will do a lot for other people.  Another reason is that when you see the president or anybody being kind or honest or loyal.  That is why I think American patriots are loyal.

My next word is sacrificing.  I think that an American patriot is sacrificing because they go out and do good things.  For example, they give things away and don’t keep everything to themselves.  Also, one other reason is that patriots don’t act like they don’t care because if they didn’t care they wouldn’t go out of their way to give things away, do kind things, and do anything they can to help.  That is why I think patriots are sacrificing.

My last word is courageous.  I believe that patriots are courageous because they can go somewhere and don’t feel the need to hide from getting shot, they just have a feeling.  Also, they can go to fight the world “willingly”.

That is why I think a good American patriot is loyal, sacrificing, and courageous.  What three words would you pick to describe a good American patriot?


3rd Tandon Redd—Allen

What makes a good American patriot?  Here are some things that I think make a good patriot: being respectful, humble, kind, and determined.

I firmly believe that a patriot should be respectful to all of our country and even those they don’t like serving.  Sacrificing themselves is one of the many things that they do for us.  I think that a patriot should always be respectful to everybody.  They will respect the country and every one in it.  Being respectful is an action.  When they are loyal to the country that is also an action.

Next, when a patriot should always be humble and kind at all times because others didn’t know what they have been through.  It could very well be stressful of tiring.  Being humble is to also be kind and loving to all of the people in the country.
Lastly, I think that all patriots should be determined to do whatever is necessary to serve their country and the citizens in it.  Every time you’re in your bed or doing something fun, remember that this wasn’t all free.  Lots of people sacrificed their lives for our country and the freedom of this nation so that we were free.  So be determined to work and to do hard things.  Based on what I said about patriots and what they do for us and how they serve our country to help us all—that is what I think a good American patriot is.