Students from Greywolf Elementary and Helen Haller Elementary schools and Sequim Middle School are winners in the Elks Grand Lodge 2014-2015 Americanism Essay Contest.

Students competed on two levels — fifth and sixth grade, and seventh and eighth grade — with competitors writing about the theme of: “What the Pledge of Allegiance Means to Me.”

Winners for the fifth and sixth grades include: first place, Kaleb Cassidy (fifth-grader, son of Kevin and Theresa Cassidy); second place, Bishop Budnek (fifth grade, son of Heidi Budnek) and third place, Isaac Bratsman (fifth grade, son of Rebecca Bratsman).

Winners for seventh and eighth grades include: first place, Madeline Patterson (eighth grade, daughter of Jake and Danielle Patterson) and second place, Quinn Danielson (eighth grade, daughter of Eric and Christine Danielson).

Budnek and Patterson’s essays were selected as West District winners; their essays now will be forwarded to the state level for further competition.

Americanism Essay Committee chairman Maura Mattson presented each winner with an award certificate and a monetary award of $30, $25 or $20 for first, second and third place respectively.