LARNED — Representing the Larned VFW and the VFW Auxiliary, Marcheta Jacobson and Phil Perez handed out awards at the Larned Middle School to the 49 students who entered essays in the Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest.

Winning the top honors with a $50 prize and a medal was eighth-grader Eli Kelty, son of Jon Roy and Michelle Kelty.

Winning second place of $40 and a medal was sixth-grader Grayson Maxwell. He is the son of Brent and Christina Frick Maxwell.

Third-place prize of $30 and a medal went to sixth-grader Ryan Hill, son of Brandon and Rachel Hill.

These three top essays will be entered in the district contest held by the Kansas VFW and its Auxiliaries.

Other awards were also given. In the eighth-grade category, Athena Sterkel received Honorable Mention. Abby Hands from Rozel also received Honorable Mention. Mason Miller took third, Caleb McDonald took second, and Eli Kelty earned first place.

In the sixth-grade division, Koby Lang took fourth place, Jax Johnson and Asher Mantel tied for third place, Ryan Hill took second place, and Grayson Maxwell garnered first place.

Perez talked to the students, referring to the subject of their essays, “How to be a Good American.” Jacobson thanked the students for their entries. “It was really hard to judge and pick out the top winners,” she said.

Larned teachers Jason Ingram and Tricia Prescott, and Pawnee Heights teacher Jim Gardner, were thanked for their part in getting the essays entered. They were each given a gift to put on their classroom wall.