Caring for America Project – Essay Contest 2019
At our March 27, 2019 General Meeting, Kingwood Area Republican Women honored our Essay Contest winner. Xiomara Salinas, an eighth-grade student at Saint Mary Magdalene Catholic School in Humble. Xiomara wrote a very impressive essay entitled: “Why I Love My Country.”
Our President, M’Liss Painter, has focused her attention on our youth and education. M’Liss has been a teacher for 37 years and has worked with children from age 3 to high school seniors. Imbuing the conservative values of faith, family, and patriotism are important goals not only to her, but to our club as well. Looking for opportunities to support students and give them an opportunity to share their thoughts, ideas, and concerns of great importance.
Through our Caring for America, Literacy, and Americanism Chair, Betty Newton, M’Liss partnered to create and implement an essay program in our local middle schools. The criteria for the essay was straightforward: the essay had to consist of at least 350 words, include a quote to support opinioned statements, and address the question of “Why I love my country”.
Over thirty essays from sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students were submitted. The Kingwood Area Republican Women’s Executive Board and Chairpersons read and voted on their favorite essay. Xiomara Salinas was the outstanding choice. Xiomara wrote over 500 words focusing on the rights and freedoms our citizens enjoy. She expressed how these rights and freedoms are vital for our society and how the Constitution and Bill of Rights secures our liberties and maintains justice.
She concluded her essay by stating: “The United States has extraordinary attributes that sets it apart from all other countries. The three factors I illustrated: the ability to have a job, the influence we have in our government, and our inalienable rights and freedoms are among the reasons why I love my country and am so proud to be an American”.
This essay contest served to give our young people a forum to highlight their patriotism, pride, and love for our country.