McAlexander Advances With 'Patriotic Pen'

FAIRBURY – A patriotic essay written by a Lourdes eighth grader won the Veterans of Foreign Wars district contest and will advance to state competition.

VFW judges in Fairbury selected Ellie McAlexander’s essay out of 416 junior high students in 12 cities of southeast Nebraska.

Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen Post Chairman Roger Kopf presented the award at Lourdes Central Catholic.

McAlexander’s work will go on to state competition. The Nebraska winner will have a chance at a top prize of $5,000 in Washington, D.C.