A 7th grade student from the City of Richmond and an 11th grade student from Chesterfield County were the first-place winners in the Virginia War Memorial’s 2024 Veterans Day Student Essay Contest. The winners were announced at the 68th Annual Commonwealth’s Veterans Day Ceremony held Monday, November 11 at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond.
More than 1,000 persons attended the ceremony in the Memorial’s E. Bruce Heilman Amphitheater. The ceremony was also broadcast live on WTVR-TV CBS6.1 and 6.3.
The winner in the middle school category is Henry Clark, a 7th grade student at Saint Benedict Catholic School in Richmond. The title of his essay is “Joseph Clark: Soldier, Brother, Friend.”
The winner in the high school category is Savannah Overton, an 11th grade student at James River High School in Chesterfield County. The title of her essay is “Inspiring Generations: The Life and Legacy of Lieutenant Ernest Arthur Bachman, Jr.”
The annual competition was open to all middle and high school-age students residing in Virginia and enrolled in public or private schools or homeschooled. The essay topic for the 2024 competition was “A Virginian Who Served in the Military Who Inspires Me.”
The Virginia War Memorial staff members who judged the competition also awarded Honorable Mention recognition to the following high school students:
- Arianna Anderson, Grade 11, James River High School, Chesterfield County
- Jakub Bowen, Grade 10, Middlesex High School, Saluda
- Aarya Patel, Grade 10, Cosby High School, Midlothian
Contest winners Henry Clark and Savannah Overton and their parents attended the ceremony and were recognized during the program by Virginia War Memorial Director Dr. Clay Mountcastle. The students also received prize packages donated by McDonald’s Restaurants of Richmond and Hampton Roads and the Virginia War Memorial Foundation.
The winning students pre-recorded the reading of their essays at WTVR-TV studios in Richmond prior to the Commonwealth’s Veterans Day Ceremony. These videos were aired on November 11 during the Virginia This Morning program on CBS-6 and are available to view on the DVS YouTube Channel.
“Educating our young people about the service and sacrifices of the Commonwealth’s men and women who bravely and selfishly served and continue to serve in our U.S. armed forces is one of our most important missions here at the Virginia War Memorial,” said Virginia War Memorial Director Dr. Clay Mountcastle. “I congratulate Henry and Savannah on writing their inspiring Veterans Day student essays and also congratulate those students who were recognized with Honorable Mentions and all who participated in our annual competition.”
About the Virginia War Memorial
The mission of the Virginia War Memorial is to Honor Veterans, Preserve History, Educate Youth, and Inspire Patriotism in All. Dedicated in 1956, the Memorial includes the names of the nearly 12,000 Virginia heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and the Global War on Terrorism. The Virginia War Memorial is and will always be the Commonwealth’s tribute to those who served and most especially, to those who died defending our freedoms.
The Virginia War Memorial is a division of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) and serves as an integral part of its mission in support of all Virginians who have served in our military. It is located at 621 South Belvidere Street, Richmond, Virginia 23220 and is open Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free, except for select events. For more information, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org.
About the Virginia Department of Veterans Services
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) is a state government agency with 50 locations across the Commonwealth of Virginia. DVS traces its history to 1928 and the establishment of the Virginia War Service Bureau to assist Virginia’s World War I veterans. Today, DVS assists veterans and their families in filing claims for federal veterans benefits; provides veterans and family members with linkages to services including behavioral healthcare, housing, employment, education, and other programs. The agency operates four long-term care facilities offering in-patient skilled nursing care, Alzheimer’s/memory care, and short-term rehabilitation for veterans; and provides an honored final resting place for veterans and their families at three state veterans cemeteries. It operates the Virginia War Memorial, the Commonwealth’s tribute to Virginia’s men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice from World War II to the present. For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.