Ocala students reflect: 'The American flag is important to everyone'

Students, parents and veterans gathered Sunday to pay respects to Old Glory at the 14th annual Marion County Veterans Council Flag Day Essay and Flag Retirement Ceremony, held at the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park.

During the event, 10 of 20 winning “what the American flag means to me” essays were read aloud by local 4th and 5th grade essay writers. They were presented with $25 gift cards and certificate by representatives of veterans’ groups and community organizations.

Suzanne McGuire, MCVC secretary, said the essay contest was open to the two grade levels and 70 students entered.

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"The American flag is important to everyone," Amelia Arrendondo read aloud from her winning essay.

The American flag has so many meanings

Essay winner Davey Pebley, 10, accompanied by his parents, Dave and Christine Pebley, wrote of the "lack of freedom" in communist countries.

Lyla Christiansen, 10, read her winning entry, which included saying the flag has "lots of meanings."

Lyla's dad, Eric, a Navy corpsman who was deployed to Afghanistan, sat with his daughter.

Ronald Vann Jr. read his winning essay aloud as his family, including his father, Ocala Police Department Sgt. Ronald Vann Sr., proudly looked on.

Jairah Florestal, Owen Welfel, Sawyer Smith and Elizabeth Elder also read their winning essays aloud.

The students described the flag as a symbol of freedom and hope. Ava Esquivel, who read her essay aloud, was accompanied by both of her grandmothers, Denise Guynn and Linda Esquivel, and also Olivia Esquivel, 3.

The family held small American flags following the event.

The 10 students whose essays were selected as winners but were not present Sunday were: Matthew Sapp, Isabella Leon, Elsa Glover, Madison Hall, Madelyne Ferris, Persephonie Baker, Shaury Figueroa, Abigal Hatch, Aaden Raymond and Corina Hurtado.

A tradition dating back to 1777

According to National Flag Day.com., the "Stars and Stripes" was set as the national symbol on June 14, 1777, by the Continental Congress.

Over the years students have been encouraged to reflect on the meaning of the flag. Bernard J. Cigrand, a teacher in Waubeka, Wisconsin, held an essay contest years ago for the students in his "one-room classroom," according to the website.

Cigrand dedicated himself to having all Americans reflect on the meaning of the American flag, the website states.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson set June 14 as Flag Day. President Harry S. Truman signed an Act of Congress to acknowledge the date, the website indicates.

In 2004, Congress voted in House Resolution 662 (108th Congress,) which recognized that Flag Day began in Waubeka, according to the website.

In Marion County, veterans visit classrooms

McGuire said the student MCVC essay contest involves veteran visits to the classroom a few weeks before the MCVC Flag Day event.

The classroom visits by the veterans include flag history, flag etiquette and trivia-style questions, she explained in an email following the event.

“Then the veterans do a flag folding with a script that is a history lesson written specifically for our 'Veterans in the Classroom' program,' “ McGuire wrote. “The flag used is a large casket flag from a homeless veteran’s funeral.”

The students are then invited to write an essay on “what the flag means” to them and enter the contest.

The veterans also field questions about their service.

You can't find everything in a history book

Veteran Chuck Vroman, with Nautilus Base, an award presenter on Sunday and classroom visitor, served from 1972 to 1993. His assignments included 90-day submarine patrols.

"The veterans bring something to the students not found in history books," McGuire said.

Veteran award presenters Sunday included members of the MCVC; Marine Corps League 061 with Kathleen Potthoff, commandant; Nautilus Base group; and the Knights of Columbus from St. Theresa Catholic Church, represented by veteran Michael Kelso, a fourth degree Knight.

Kelso called the students "impressive" and "very intelligent" with solid questions during his classroom visit.

Ken Nichols, MCVC first vice president and member of Nautilus Base, a group of veterans who served on submarines, served as a classroom visitor and award presenter.

Following the reading of essays on Sunday, Marine Corps League 061 performed a flag retirement ceremony that involved a flag folding, salute, and burning of a number of torn and otherwise non-serviceable flags.

Richard Prirrwitz with MCL 061 said he was "most proud of the parents" who encouraged their children in the patriotic essay contest and learning about flag history and etiquette.

Paxton Gaitanis, 10, an essay winner, attended the event with his parents, Greg and Toni Gaitanis.

His 4th grade teacher, Sharon Henderson, was also on hand. Paxton wrote about the importance of the flag and democracy.

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Ocala, Florida ceremony includes student essays about the American flag