The Williamsport Area School District Education Foundation recently concluded its annual Holiday Essay Contest, during which students in kindergarten through third grade were asked to answer, in 200 words or less: “What are you most thankful for during the holiday season and why?”

From a pool of 81 entries, the top 25 winners were selected and will receive free ride on the trolley for an exclusive Holiday Tour of Lights on Wednesday, Dec. 18, sponsored by River Valley Transit. They will also receive a special gift, provided by the district’s federal programs department.

This year’s winners are:

– Ella Brelsford, second grade, Hepburn-Lycoming
– Lily DeMarino, second grade, Stevens
– Gabriel Frey, first grade, Cochran
– Mekhi Gaston, third grade, Stevens
– Brody Herbst, second grade, Jackson
– Ava Kirkpatrick, second grade, Cochran
– Harrison Laurenson, second grade, Hepburn-Lycoming
– Waylen Moore, third grade, Hepburn-Lycoming
– Aubrey Mosier, second grade, Hepburn-Lycoming
– Layla Moyer, kindergarten, Hepburn-Lycoming
– Lincoln Paulhamus, third grade, Jackson
– Isabella Reeder, kindergarten, Jackson
– Isabelle Sharp, third grade, Hepburn-Lycoming
– Lukas Shuback, third grade, Jackson
– Chloe Slaughter, kindergarten, Jackson
– Logan Smith, second grade, Hepburn-Lycoming
– Hayden Smith, third grade, Jackson
– Emma Sweeting, kindergarten, Stevens
– Lily Tupper, first grade, Jackson
– Jade Welshans, third grade, Jackson
– Juliahnna Williams, second grade, Cochran,
– Marlaynna Wilson, first grade, Jackson
– Autumn Wolfe, first grade, Jackson

In addition to the trolley ride, two top essay winners were selected and received a $25 gift card to the AMC movie theater downtown. These two students are second-graders McKay Campbell and Huntter Wolfe, from Cochran and Jackson Primary schools, respectively.

Following the trolley ride, this year’s winners also will get to enjoy an exclusive story time session with cookies and hot chocolate, provided and served by students from Williamsport Area High School’s culinary arts program, in the rotunda at the James V. Brown Library.

The Williamsport Area School District Education Foundation is the recognized nonprofit affiliate of the school district. The education foundation facilitates charitable giving and permanent legacies based on individual areas of interest in educational innovation, the arts, athletics and scholarships. For more information on the foundation, visit HYPERLINK “http://www.wasdeducationfoundation.org” http://www.wasdeducationfoundation.org.

Winning Holiday Essays
McKay Campbell
2nd Grade
Cochran Primary School

Love is what I am most thankful for this holiday. There is lots of love in my life. Jesus loves me. He listens to my prayers and helps me. I’m glad I have Jesus to love me. My family loves me. My mom and dad help me learn. My sister reads to me at night and plays with me. Lots of people love me.

During the holidays, I show my thanks by being helpful, giving gifts, praying and being kind to everyone.

This holiday season, please spread your love to everyone.

•••

Huntter Wolfe
2nd Grade
Jackson Primary School

I am thankful and blessed this holiday season, for my family, for my church family and my freedom.

I have two brothers and two sisters, all younger than me. We play with each other on the trampoline, we go for family walks in the woods, I ride my four-wheeler. I am thankful for food to eat, a home, clothes to wear, and toys to play with. I feel sad because there are some children that do not have all those things.

I am thankful for my church family at Williamsport Christian Church at Cogan Station for letting me help volunteer with my Pappy to help those less fortunate once a month with fresh express food distribution and toys and clothing to help people this holiday season. I have learned to be thankful is all year not just the holidays.

I am very happy to have the gift of my freedom, to be able to make choices. My Pappy and Poppy and Nina tell me stories of people that do not have choices or freedom to go to church or school. I watch the news and hear of bad things that happen to other people far away. It is sad that those people do not know what a thankful feeling it is to be an American. The people that are in the military sometimes have to go away for a long time to fight for our freedom, and sometimes that person gets hurt while being away for our freedom. I am thankful and happy to be a part of a military family and the freedom I have.