Although Veteran’s Day is celebrated in schools across the country, Memorial Day often goes by unobserved due to it falling at the end of the school year.

 

Clearview Elementary Principal Sheri Rutar and Clear Lake Legionnaire Bud Stimmler wanted to change that, and began talking about ways to get the students involved in and understanding what Memorial Day is meant to be. Not a day for picnics and vacations, but a day to recognize those who have died helping to keep our country free.

 

Rutar brought the idea to the school’s leadership team, who decided students in the fourth and fifth grades should write an essay on freedom. Stimmler brought the idea to the Clear Lake Legion, and the “What Freedom Means to Me” essay contest was born.

 

The students’ completed essays were submitted to the legion, where legionnaires read through all of them to determine the winners.

 

Monday, Stimmler and fellow Clear Lake Legionnaire Elmer Schmidt were on hand at Clearview to present the winners of the contest, Silas Scharmer, Ailee Bartz, Violet Anderson, Isabelle Schwinghammer, Ruby Gosh and Noah Neuman, with monetary prizes.

 

“I wrote about how people fought in wars for freedom,” said Schwinghammer. “Also about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They’re important documents so we need to keep them so we keep freedom. Without them I wouldn’t be able to go to school and learn things like math and how to read.”

 

Bartz wrote about what the definition of freedom means to her, as well as what she can do with it and what she can’t do without it. Scharmer wrote that there wouldn’t be much kindness without freedom, as everyone would be fighting for it.

 

“Freedom is a good word we should cherish,” said Anderson. “People fought in wars so don’t take it for granted. Be glad we live in 2019 and not the 1700s. We’re free so a little girl may grow up to be the first female president.”

 

Neuman’s essay talked about using freedom in a good way and not a bad, and thanked the veterans, POWs and his family members who have served.

 

“I live in a small town, Clearwater,” said Gosh. “Really if you just take a look around you’ll see teamwork and freedom accomplishing things. I’m so proud of the vets and all who served to give us freedom. Without them we wouldn’t be here.”

 

Clearview and the Clear Lake Legion were pleased with the partnership, which they plan to continue in the future.

 

The Clear Lake Legion encourages all citizens to read the United States Constitution so they understand their rights and freedoms.