By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Aleigha Beth Keeling proved she was listening when her “Papa” talked.
“When he was alive, he talked a lot about government,” Keeling said, referring to her late grandfather, Phillip Shelton. “He knew we had a lot of problems in our country, but that there was a way to fix them.
“He taught me how to listen to the news and find out what was going on. And I learned about the importance of voting.”
Keeling put that experience and her own thoughts to good use recently, winning the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)-sponsored Voice of Democracy essay contest on both the local and district level.
The universal theme for this year’s contest was “Why My Vote Matters.”
Keeling received $150 from local Post 4862 and District 9 and her entry was submitted to the state competition.
The VOD is a nationwide scholarship program that annually draws entries from more than 40,000 students across the country.
Each audio-essay – accompanied by a word-for-word written copy of the entry -‑ consisted of three to five minutes with a purpose of fostering patriotism. All high school students were eligible to participate and Keeling’s effort was picked to be submitted by Tara Kendall, who gave the assignment as part of a speech class she teaches at UCHS.
A Golden Tornado senior, Aleigha Beth is a member of the Beta Club, the Key Club and HOSA at Union City High School, where she also played volleyball and is a cheerleader. She plans on attending Austin Peay and majoring in nursing in the fall.
Having turned 18 just this week, she said she’ll certainly exercise her right to vote for the first time in the next election.
“I feel like if you have the opportunity to vote, you should,” she said. “So many complain about those who are in office, but they end up being part of the problem because they don’t vote.
“That was the focus of my essay. Everyone’s vote makes a difference.”
Keeling, no doubt, plans to practice what she’s preached – and written.
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