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For Immediate Release: February 8, 2012 Kennedy Middle School Award Winners Head to Rockledge, FL – Kennedy Middle School teacher, Jolette McDonald, and seventh grader, Katie Sivco, have been named Florida state finalists in two awards from the Veterans of Foreign Wars. McDonald is a state finalist for the National Citizenship Education Teacher for Grades 6 - 8. She was nominated for her outstanding commitment to teaching patriotism to her students. Each year three exceptional teachers in the nation are recognized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) for their outstanding commitment to teach Americanism and patriotism to their students. Sivco is a state finalist for the VFW’s annual Patriot’s Pen Essay Writing Contest answering this year’s essay theme, “Are You Proud of Your Country?” “Through our Patriot’s Pen youth essay-writing contest the VFW encourages young people to examine our nation’s history and their own experiences in modern American society,” said Jerri Osborne, the District 8 Ladies’ Auxiliary President of Post 4534. “We are very proud of the quality work the students put forth on these essays. It was an honor and a pleasure to read them,” she added. Both McDonald and Sivco have been invited to attend the VFW Convention in Orlando, Florida on February 11 where the state award winners will be announced. If selected, they will move on to the national competition. They are being sponsored by the local VFW Rocket Post 4534 and the district VFW Post 10131. “Kennedy Middle School certainly made a strong showing in all of our competitions this year, and it is an indication of the quality of Kennedy's teachers,” said Rocket Post 4534 Post Commander Jim Smith. “We are honored that two of our own have been selected to compete at the state level.” The District 8 VFW Rocket Post 4534 recognized several of its local winners at an award ceremony recently. In addition to McDonald and Sivco’s first place awards, Kennedy Middle School seventh graders Bailey Antonition and Carlos Garcia won second and third place, respectively, in the local Patriot’s Pen contest. Present at the local VFW award ceremony was Kennedy Middle School Principal Richard Myers who added, “It’s a proud day for Kennedy Middle School to be recognized by the VFW for our efforts. These awards give Kennedy’s students and teachers a chance to speak from the heart and show their genuine appreciation for our veterans.” -BPS- Photo caption: Kennedy Middle School (from left to right) Teacher Ms. Jolette McDonald, Carlos Garcia, Mr. Richard Myers, and Katie Sivco at the VFW Award Ceremony at VFW Rocket Post 4534 in Rockledge, FL on January 21, 2012. |