An 8th grade student from Loudoun County and a 12th grade student from Pittsylvania County were the first-place winners in the Virginia War Memorial’s 2025 Veterans Day Student Essay Contest. The winners were announced at the 69th Annual Commonwealth’s Veterans Day Ceremony held Tuesday, November 11 at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond.
More than 700 persons attended the ceremony in the Memorial’s E. Bruce Heilman Amphitheater. The ceremony was also broadcast live on WTVR-TV CBS6 in Richmond.
The winner in the middle school category is Eliana Berkoff, an 8th grade student at J. Michael Lunsford Middle School in Loudoun County.
The winner in the high school category is Sara George, a 12th grade student at Gretna High School in Pittsylvania County.
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 2025 competition was “A Virginian Who Served in the Military Who Inspires Me.”
Due to the high volume and quality of essay submissions, the Virginia War Memorial staff members who judged the competition also awarded Honorable Mention recognition to the following middle and high school students:
Middle School Honorable Mentions:
- Lucia Leff, Grade 7, Dogwood Middle School, City of Richmond
- Alaina Murphy, Grade 8, Manchester Middle School, Chesterfield County
- James Shirley, Grade 6, Dogwood Middle School, City of Richmond
- Brook Webster, Grade 8, New Kent Middle School, New Kent County
High School Honorable Mentions:
- Jakub Bowen, Grade 11, Middlesex High School, Middlesex County
- Ashley Bowers, Grade 11, Battlefield High School, Prince William County
- Reese Minor, Grade 12, Monacan High School, Chesterfield County
- Taylor Trezza, Grade 11, James River High School, Chesterfield County
Contest winners and their parents attended the ceremony and were recognized during the program by Virginia War Memorial Director Dr. Clay Mountcastle and congratulated by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin who was the keynote speaker. Each of the two students winners also received a $500 check donated by the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) – Department of Virginia.
“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 Eliana and Sara 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 contest.”
Video footage of the students reading their essays may be found on the Virginia Department of Veterans Services YouTube channel here:
Eliana Berkoff
Sara George
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 (DVS)
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) is a state government agency with more than 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 health, housing, employment, education, and other programs. The agency operates long-term care facilities offering in-patient skilled nursing care, dementia/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.
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