First place went to Eliza McCullough, second place went to Kieler Smith, and third to Jack Butler, all seventh grade students at Community Christian School.

The contest is open to all sixth through eighth grade students in the area and winners can progress to regional, state, and national levels. At the local level, first place receives $100, second place receives $50, and third place receives $25.

Roger Simonson of the VFW Fort Dodge Post 1856 said they received 10 entries this year. The essay theme was “How Can I Be a Good American?” Simonson said he collects all the entries and gives them to a panel for blind judging so he is the only one who knows which student wrote each essay.

First place winner McCullough said her class at Community Christian School wrote the essays as part of their history lessons. McCullough said for her essay, she interviewed her grandfather about family members who were veterans and she learned about wars they had served in.

According to the VFW website, more than 165,400 students enter the Patriot’s Pen contest each year. First place state winners receive a minimum of $500 at the national level and the national first place winner wins $5,000.

Simonson said Post 1856 also hosts the Voice of Democracy audio-essay program for ninth through 12th grade students, but he said they usually receive few or no entries. This year they did not receive any entries.