Home, as the cliché goes, is where the heart is.
As far as a number of young Sequim students are concerned, that’s where their hearts remain today.
Local Realtors recently championed several Sequim third-grade students during Sequim’s own American Home Week, picking top poster artists and essayists.
American Home Week is celebrated each April in communities across the nation. In Sequim, the weeklong observance, sponsored by the Sequim Association of Realtors, was held from April 14-21. Students created posters and wrote essays on "What My Home Means to Me." The observance honors the joys, rights and responsibilities of home ownership and is an affirmation of private property rights and the privilege of home-ownership.
Ryan Begley, a third-grader in Sheri Burke’s Greywolf Elementary class, took top honors for his school while Samuel Dickson, a third-grader in Ann Riggs’ class, took top honors at Helen Haller Elementary; both received a bicycle and matching helmet, plus a $100 savings bond from the association.
First-prize winners Luke Silliman and Chloe Adams at Haller and Amanda Murphy and Gabi Simonson of Greywolf each received a $75 dollar savings bond plus a scooter and helmet from the Sequim Association of Realtors.
Second-place winners got a $75 bond, scooter and helmet while third-place winners got a $50 bond and sports helmet.
Each year, Realtors also honor teachers with the best overall work for the contest. At Helen Haller this year, Tami Wall’s group won while Burke’s group won at Greywolf won; both received gift certificates.
The winning students learned of their awards April 22 at the weekly meeting of the Sequim Association of Realtors.
"The real heroes are the teachers who do a lot of work to make this happen, to instill the concept that a home is not just a house, and the third-graders in doing both an essay and a poster in their classes," said Carrie Millet, American Home Week chairwoman.
Participating Realtor groups included Peninsula Mortgage, Sound Community Bank, First Federal, Pacific Coast Escrow, Olympic Peninsula Mortgage and Sequim John L. Scott.
Top essays:
Greywolf Elementary
_ Grand prize winner: Ryan Begley, Sheri Burke’s class
Home is a place that you might see a dove.
Home is a place full of lots of love.
Home is full of work to be done.
Home is a memory of what I like.
Home is a memory of riding a bike.
Home is a dream of stuff to do,
When you play with a train and hear it CHOO-CHOO!
Home is safe and warm all day.
Home is where you laugh and play.
My home means a lot to me.
_ First prize: Amanda Murphy, Chris Stevens’ class
My home means somewhere to live and learn, live because it’s somewhere where memories are stored and kept forever, learn because in a home you can learn many different things. A home is not a house because you will remember it for a long time. But a house is, you see it, then it is stored in the back of your head. A home is full of care no matter how big or small the family is. Home is the place I love!
_ First prize: Gabi Simonson, Sheri Burke’s class
Home is a place where I can run.
Home is a place where I can have fun.
Home is full of love.
Home is a dream of peace and joy.
Home is safe and has my family inside.
My home means laughter and joy.
Home is Magical.
Helen Haller Elementary
_ Grand-prize winner: Samuel Dickson, Ann Riggs’ class
My house gives me comfort. It is a good size – not too big or not too small. It has a warm fireplace outside. We live by the woods. My house is also fun because it has a big tree. When we moved in there was a rope swing attached to the tree. I also like to go on bike rides with my Dad. There is a lot to do at my house. The two things I couldn’t live without are my house and my family.
_ First place: Luke Silliman, Tami Wall’s class
"What my home means to me"
My awesome home is exciting and fun. Everyone is loving and you can just be yourself like normal. It’s just cool to talk to each other. No one’s an outsider. We’re family. We encourage each other to do our best, not to give up: To do our best every day and work hard. We have breakfast and dinner together. It rocks at my house. We play football and basketball. It rocks. We help each other when it is hard and tough.
_ First place: Chloe Adams, Tami Wall’s class
"What my home means to me"
My home is sweet and nice because I have a loving family and caring helpful Mom. They’re all so sweet: My Dad, active brother, sweet sister. I love them all. They’re nice, happy, cheerful. I could not ask for a better home to live in. I get help with my homework. And I stay clean. It is a good environment for me and my brother and sister. No bad words. I hope to be a special parent. And I learn how to behave and help others when they are hurt or crying. My home and others help me grow up and be joyful. I can make the right choices. That’s why my home is so special to me.
American Home Week poster,
essay contest winners
Helen Haller Elementary
Grand prize: Samuel Dickson
First place: Chloe Adams, Luke Silliman
Second place: Noelle Bittner, Haley Carmichael, Soraya Frutos, Stephanie Lemus, Olivia Peers, Byron Rice
Third place: Derek Bryant, Rylee Collier, John Edson, Taylor Ferguson, Amanda Dawn Mitchell, Grace Mitchell, Bryan Perez, Tyler Smith, Aaron White
Greywolf Elementary
Grand prize: Ryan Begley
First place: Amanda Murphy, Gabi Simonson
Second place: Paisley Berkseth, Canaan Jonston,
Madison Millet, Hannah Caline O’Leary, Johnathan Stipe
Third place: Nathelie Arregun, Kaylee Brown, Mirial Cawyer, Elijah Creed, Jessica Finley, Audrey Hughes, Miles Megart, Kiara Point, Kiara Vialpando, Elandon Washburn
