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 Poppy Contest winners at Gehlen Catholic School include, front row (from left) -- Sara Roder, Maddie Wankum, Alison Schnepf and instructor Beth Schlichte. Back row -- Mary K. Lane, Legion Auxiliary secretary; Hannah Kessenich, Megan Livermore, Kelsey Marienau and Jane VanderWell, Legion Auxiliary member-at-large. [Click to enlarge] |
Poppy Week is usually observed as the week that ends on the Saturday before Memorial Day. However, Gehlen Catholic sixth graders learned about it earlier as part of a unit on good poster design in art class in preparation for the American Legion Auxiliary Poppy Poster Contest, under the direction of Beth Schlichte.
The contest is sponsored annually by the American Legion Auxiliary Post #142 of Le Mars.
What is the significance of the poppy and Poppy Day?
Poppy Day is a day designated to honor the men and women who served in the United States armed forces and fought so vigorously to keep our country free. It is a day to pay special tribute to the red, the white and the blue. It is a day Americans thank God for all of the freedoms with which they are so truly blessed.
Since 1921 the poppy has been the memorial flower of the American Legion Auxiliary. It became a symbol of the tragedy of war and renewal of life following World War I. It was on the French battlefields that many poppies bloomed. The red on the flower stands for courage and the green leaves remind us of the torn bodies. It was in the early 1920's that the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars began selling poppies for the benefit of disabled and needy veterans. This is one of the many ways in which Gehlen Catholic students have shown their support for veterans of all wars in which Americans had or are fighting in during the 2007-2008 school year.
The Legion Auxiliary members recently judged the sixth grade posters using the following criteria: poster appeal (layout, message, and originality), artistic ability (design and color) and neatness. The winners from this year's contest include:
First place, Sara Roder daughter of Terry and Patty Roder, and Hannah Kessenich, daughter of Mark and Susy Kessenich.
Second place - Maddie Wankum, daughter of Matt and Margaret Wankum and Megan Livermore, daughter of Bob and Carol Livermore.
Third place - Alison Schnepf, daughter of Steve and Lisa Schnepf and Kelsey Marienau, daughter of Jeff and Dena Marienau.
Hannah Kessenich also won the district Poppy Poster contest, so her poster is now in competition at the state level.
In April, these entries were on display during the 2008 Friends of Gehlen Catholic Ball. During late May, many of the windows in the Le Mars business district will be decorated with these same posters.
This is one of the many ways in which Gehlen Catholic students have shown their support for veterans of all wars in which Americans had or are fighting in during the 2007-2008 school year.