UC Middle School Student State Runner-Up In Patriot's Pen

By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
 
Union City, Tenn.–The American flag is something special to Kate Crabtree.
 
And the Union City Middle School eighth-grader has proven adept at putting those feelings into words.
 
Crabtree recently won first place at the regional level and placed second statewide in the annual VFW-sponsored Patriot’s Pen essay-writing competition.
 
Well over 120,000 students nationwide participate in the contest, which gives students an opportunity to express their views on an annual patriotic theme. Students in grades 6-8 across the country are eligible to compete and essays are required to be between 300 and 400 words in length.
 
This year’s central contest subject – “Why I Honor the American Flag” – was especially meaningful to Crabtree, who was adopted from Guatemala by her parents, Jeff and Becky Crabtree, when she was six months old.
 
“Having been adopted from a Third-World country that was very dangerous at the time, I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to be an American citizen,” Crabtree said. “I try to write my paper(s) on a personal level.
 
“I don’t really plan on winning. I just try to write well and express how I feel.”
 
Her essay placed second at the local level, but beat everyone in the regional competition — earning her a trip to the state competition. Judges are different at each level.
 
She narrowly missed out on a trip to the nationals, but was honored at a luncheon at the local VFW, where she read her paper. She won $115 total for placing at the local and regional levels.
 
This year’s success was not Crabtree’s first in the competition.
 
She won at the local level and advanced to the regional as a sixth-grader with an “America I Believe In”-themed entry.
 
“I really never expect to go this far (in the competition),” Crabtree smiled. “I really don’t like all the attention, but when I write, I do want to express my feelings.
 
“The flag represents our amazing history. It’s not for politicians. It was not meant for that purpose. It’s a symbol of our country and has been from the first fabric of Betsy Ross until now.
 
“It’s so important to so many people for so many reasons.”
 
Truly award-winning and heartfelt words from one young lady, for sure.