Centerville student wins VFW Scholarship in Contest
Groveton News - December 2007

    Hayle Hollis, a seventh grade student at Centerville, won third place in the Veterans of Foreign Wars “Patriot’s Pen” essay contest. The Trinity County VFW post will award her a $200 scholarship, and she will compete at the state level with her essay about why she is an American patriot.
   Halye will present her paper at a VFW meeting in January. She wrote her essay as a class assignment in Mrs. Folsom’s English class and was surprised to receive a call announcing this honor.
    “My step-mom said someone called and told her my patriot essay had won third place. I was in shock,” Hollis said. “I couldn’t believe I actually won.”
    Mrs. Folsom said she requires a lot of writing in her English classes, and she likes to give students extra incentive to do their best. She looks for opportunities for her students to write for audiences outside the classroom, including contests which give prizes or the chance for publication.    “Getting recognition from outside the classroom helps students realize how important their writing skills are,” Mrs. Folsom said. “I am really proud of Hayle for her outstanding essay and the thought she put into it. She is an excellent writer.”
   The annual VFW program gives middle school and high school students the opportunity to express their views on what it means to be an American. The contest offers prizes at the local, state, and national levels.