Two Washington High students recently placed in a national essay contest of the American Veterans.  Kayla Abler, 9th grade, and Mi Kyeong Jung, 12th grade, were recently honored for having nationally recognized essays in the annual Americanism essay contest of the American Veterans (AMVET). Abler won an all expense paid trip to Philadelphia and Valley Forge in Pennsylvania. Kyeong won a $375 Visa gift card.

Each spring, AFJROTC instructor Col. John Pardo assigns the American Veteran (AMVET) essay to all cadets in AFJROTC. The Colonel evaluates all essays and sends the best one or two in each grade level to be reviewed by AMVET’s Post #1 in Tacoma. They judge all of the submissions from Pierce County and select the best to forward on to the state competition. At state, a winner is selected for each grade level and then forwarded to a national board which selects the best from in the nation. In the case of 9th graders, the prize is an all expense paid trip to Valley Forge (and Philadelphia). While Kayla Abler was not the state winner, she was Tacoma Post #1’s top finisher, so they will underwrite her trip to Pennsylvania. Mi Kyeong Jung—now a freshman cadet at the US Air Force Academy—ended up second in the nation among 12th graders and will receive a $375 Visa gift card.