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Show .Vernal Express, Wednesday, February V, and Hi Elds-sponsored "Old Glory" essay contest winners announced The election years and their subsequent inaugurations and swearings in produce a plethora of flag displays. But do we think about the flag so prominently displayed or does it become merely wallpaper? Our soldiers and volunteers in Iraq and other trouble spots certainly give Old Glory plenty of thought when they see it, as do our veterans. To heighten the awareness of our children to the symbolism of the Red, White, and Blue, the Elks Lodges of Utah sponsored spon-sored an essay contest with the theme, "What Old Glory Means To Me." Over 200 fifth and sixth graders from Uintah and Duchesne Counties, through their 15 teachers, responded. That number was, with difficulty, difficul-ty, eventually reduced to twelve semifinal essays by a panel of four judges. The top three essays have been submitted to the Utah Elks Association Americanism Committee to be combined with those sponsored spon-sored by the other 12 Utah Elks Lodges for further judging. The nine semifinalists are fifth graders Hannah Whiteside from Discovery Roosevelt Middle School essay contest students pictured left to right are front row, Mitchell Hussey and Chelsea Ross. Back row, Cody Young, Karli Morris, Elks Chairman Marty Kay and Brooke Bertoch. Nichole Knight not pictured. Elementary and Dakota Bowden from Uintah Basin Christian Acedemy; sixth graders grad-ers Gaylynn Reed from West Junior High; Shayla Goode from Altamont; and Nichole rb n Uintah Basin Christian Academy essay contest students pictured left to right are front row, Grace Greenwood, back row, Dakota Bowden, teacher Roxanne Gallegos, Elks Chairman Marty Kay and Vernal Elks President J.J. Kerlin. Knight, Cody Young, Karli Morris, Brooke Bertoch, and Chelsea Ross from Roosevelt Middle School. Placing third is Grace Greenwood, fifth grader from Uintah Basin Christian Academy. Placing second is Dalton Smith, sixth grader from Altamont Elementary. First place belonged to Mitchell Hussey, sixth grader from Roosevelt Middle School. Mitchell Hussey's first place essay: Some people call it Old Glory, some call it the Star Spangled Banner, but most people my age call it the flag. Whatever it is called it means different things to people. One that is important is that people have given their lives for us. Old Glory also reminds me of our country. The stars represent repre-sent the fifty states, and the stripes represent the thirteen colonies. Every time I look at the flag I am reminded of the great country we live in. Because it is so important, whenever we see the flag we should stop whatever we are doing, stand, take off our hat, and salute the flag. People have become more patriotic since September 11th. Before the attack some people forgot to do what we do when we see the flag and were disrespectful disre-spectful the flag. Even though it was sad, I think it has helped us to think about the people that have died in war so that we can be free. So when we are saluting Old Glory we are actually actu-ally saluting those people not just a piece of material. Dalton Smith's second place essay; What Old Glory means to me, is that it is a symbol of a free nation. For me it is also a symbol of those that have served and died for our country coun-try in all of the wars around the world. It is also a symbol of hope, courage, and unity. When I see the flag going up and down the streets in a parade I think of all these things. When I grow up, I would be happy to serve the flag. To me serving my country in the armed forces to protect our flag is something I would like to do. I would like to serve in the army as a paratrooper. She earned more than a passing score "' 1 'iiiiunii ii MiiiiimniiiiBii.il .in .... .HA,,II,.,,! ladine Johnson with her son and her Uintah Basin Applied Technology College teacher, Kathy Chapman. Nadine Johnson was very nervous taking the national exam. She was sure she missed some of the answers. When her letter arrived she was pleased and shocked she did so well. "Perfect scores are a very rare event" is what is written in one of the letters she received. It also states, "Less than four tenths of one percent of all the candidates who have ever taken this examination received a score of one hundred percent." Nadine's scores are impressive. impres-sive. She received perfect scores in all areas of the test which include: Office Procedures, Pharmacology, Anatomy, Medical Terminology, Insurance Billing and Medical Procedures. The passing of the National Certified Medical Assistant exam will give her an opportunity to be employed as a Medical Assistant wherever she applies for employment. All students are invited to take the exam from the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT). Nadine came to Roosevelt when her husband relocated relocat-ed from Ohio. She began at the Uintah Basin Applied Technology College (UBATC) when she took the GED. After passing the GED she applied to and was accepted into the Medical Assistant Program. At first, Nadine missed a lot of school due to the pregnancy of her first child and employment at the China Star. Her instruc tor at the UBATC, Kathy Chapman, was supportive and counseled her to increase attendance. atten-dance. The first indication that Nadine was doing well was when she took the State Anatomy and Physiology Benchmark exam. She did very well and passed it the first time. The test is difficult and very few students at UBATC pass it on the first attempt. The Medical Assistant Program is usually 47 weeks long. It is an open entryopen exit program, which gave Nadine the flexibility she needed need-ed to accomplish her goals. While in school, Nadine took four weeks off to have her baby, James Anthony Johnson, who was born on July 1, 2004. She returned to school and worked even harder'. She had great support sup-port from her husband, James, who would come in to have his blood drawn so she could practice prac-tice the skills she was learning. Not only did he come in, but he brought his co-workers in with him. At first, Nadine paid her own way through school. Because of her good grades, she received a Presidential Waiver to help with the costs, as well as a scholarship. As part of the Medical Assistant Program, she completed her externship hours at the Uintah Basin Medical Center and the Indian Health Center. Before she finished her externship she was hired at the Indian Health Center. The UBATC Medical Assistant Instructor, Kathy Chapman, said, "Nadine was one of the best students. I admire her for going to school, having a baby and getting a job." Kathy gave Nadine study guides to assist with the national nation-al test and encouraged her to take the exam. She needed a passing score of 70 percent to be eligible to acquire certification certifi-cation to become a National Certified Medical Assistant. The national average score for those taking the test is currently current-ly 85.62 percent. Nadine eventually graduated in August 2004 from the UBATC Medical Assistant Program. "It is nice working in a job you went to school for," stated Johnson. She is now working toward a Medical Assistant Associate Degree at UBATC. CD O C (0 o - C) c "co cri CD Don't miss the Uintah County Relay For Life KIGKOFF! WHEN: Thursday, February 10th, 2005 WHERE: Golden Corral 1 ftO Woe Himr 40 Vernal, Utah TIME: 6:30 p.m. This Week's Registry... s 1 11 RECEPTION Many Heed & Oscar ftndreanoff February 12, 2005 4 p.m. The Barn in Ballard P Free Gift Wrapping & Delivery 280 West Main Vernal 781-1556 Mon.-Fri:8-8 Sat: 8-6 Sun: 10-5 M TndmtCzi. J II .a aw E rJ i w Altamont Elementary essay contest student Shayla Goode with teach Lisa Carter and Elks Chairman Marty Kay. . When I see the flag tattered and torn, and trampled into the ground, it makes me very sad and angry. I think the flag should be protected and flown proudly always. I think we should say the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag every day in our classroom, and at all ceremonies. Grace Greenwood's third place essay: When I think of Old Glory I think of freedom, security, equality, compassion, and sacrifice. sac-rifice. When I think of Old Glory, I think of patriots who died for the flag. I think of our flag waving during a battle and get ting torn from bombs bursting around it. I also think of people who don't have freedom. I also think of security when I see the Red, White, and Blue. I feel secure because this country coun-try is committed to protecting everyone. I know people from other countries see our flag as a symbol of security. When I think of our flag 1 think of people treating eacH other equally and how compassionate compas-sionate America has been to other countries. Our flag is a symbol of compassion to many other countries. When I think of Old Glory, 1 think of soldiers that sacrifice their lives, and I am grateful te them. ) pp. Discovery Elementary essay contest student Hannah Whiteside witf teacher Ann Reynolds, Vernal Elks President J.J. Kerlin and Elks Chairmat Marty Kay. M fym 6aut gmt SeaU Secret February 11, 12, 13 & 14 Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday 4 PM to Close Peel & Eat Shrimp Baked Salmon Jumbo fried Shrimp Buffalo Shrimp Tavern-style Fish mm Almost Too Good To Believe- At I F$g99y per person V CO 3 C 6 Have questions? Call Kari Roush at 789-8425 or 789-3981 The Relay For Life will be held on June 3 and 4th, 2005 1096 West Hwy 40 IN |