The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8971 and Ladies Auxiliary each year host and sponsor an Americanism essay contest for Eunice students.
Students from all Eunice elementary, junior high and high schools enter and participate in the contest.
First, second and third place winners are awarded for their creativity and originality of the essays and drawings. They receive certificates, cash prizes and trophies.
Normally and annually the VFW Post 8971 and Auxiliary host an awards ceremony in March or April at the Post Hall. This year’s annual Americanism Awards ceremony was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The VFW Post 8971 and Auxiliary, however, held a drive-thru awards presentation from 2 until 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Students were able to receive winning certificates, trophies and cash prizes through this means.
Students winning first place received $50, second place $35 and third place winners received $25. District winners won $100.
The Commander of the VFW Post 8971 is Don Reber. Gene Olivier serves as District 7 post commander.
The Auxiliary president is Linda Thibodeaux and Bernita Briscoe is the Auxiliary treasurer and chairperson of Americanism and Voice of Democracy.
The following is a list of all winners with respective schools.
Category 1, Kindergarten, Americanism (Coloring of the American flag)
Ryder Johnson, Glendale Elementary, first place;
Silas Bertrand, Glendale Elementary, second place;
Adilyn Cormier, Glendale Elementary, third place.
Category 2, First and Second grades: Americanism (A drawing and coloring of the American flag)
Kristen Semien, East Elementary, first place;
Kaleb Meaux, East Elementary, second place;
Aiden Smith, East Elementary, third place.
Category 3, Third and Fourth grades: Americanism (Drawing of a historical event)
Peyton Ortego, Glendale Elementary, first place;
Kayden Bertrand, East Elementary, second place;
Gaige Guillory, East Elementary, third place.
Category 4, Americansim essay, Fifth grade.
Elizabeth Richard, Edmund Elementary, first place;
Davis Manuel, St. Edmund, second place;
Craig Dupre, St. Edmund, third place.
Patriot’s Pen, Grades Sixth, Seventh and Eighth “What makes America Great,” essay.
Caroline Heinen, St. Edmund, first place;
John Patrick Fruge, St. Edmund, second place;
Jillian DeVillier, St. Edmund, third place.
Voice of Democracy, Ninth-through twelfth-grades, with a theme, “What makes America Great.”
Madisyn Thibodeaux, MACA in Opelousas, first place.
Megan Fontenot, Eunice High, second place.
Katherine Sittig, St. Edmund High, third place.
District winners, Americanism, Category 1:
Ryder Johnson, Glendale Elementary, first place.
Category 2: Kristen Semien, East Elementary, first place.
Category 3: Peyton Ortego, Glendale Elementary first place.
The VFW Post awarded Elementary Teacher of the Year. Tonya Guillory, a second grade teacher at Highland Elementary, was recognized and honored with a cash prize and a trophy.
Troop 425 Scout of the Year Travis Marcantel, an eighth grader at Eunice Jr. High School, was recognized and honored.