The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce announced the winners of the
Memorial Day Essay Contest.
The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce announced the winners of the Memorial Day Essay Contest. Contestants wrote about “What Memorial Day Means to Me.” Several of them will be riding in the Memorial Day parade Monday and will receive their savings bond provided by Pinnacle Bank at Christmas Hill Park following the parade. The winners were:
– Jose Diaz – 1st place
4th Grader – Rod Kelley
– Trever Marquez – 1st place
8th Grader – Brownell Middle School
– Elodia Benitez – 1st place
8th Grader – South Valley Middle School
– Robert Castro – 2nd place
8th Grader – South Valley Middle School
– Daniel Rodriguez – 3rd place
8th Grader – South Valley Middle School
Essays
By Trever Marquez
The encyclopedia states that Memorial Day began in 1868 when General John Logan proclaimed it a day to decorate the graves of soldiers who died in the Civil War as a way of honoring them. Unfortunately, today, for a lot of people, it has lost its meaning.
Many people see it as day they don’t have to go to work. Or as I saw it, it meant not having to go to school. I didn’t truly understand what Memorial Day was really about until recently.
In March, my grandfather passed away after a battle with cancer. He was at a VA hospital and when they wheeled his body from the room, doctors, nurses and able-bodied patients lined the halls to watch. Many had their heads lowered in sorrow. Within hours, the Air Force flew their planes over the building in the “missing man” formation. These people weren’t friends of my grandfather. Many did not even know his name. But, still, they gave him all the honor and respect that a person in the military deserves. For at one time, he had served his country in a war.
Too many men and women have lost their lives doing just as my grandfather did. They fought in wars, some even that they didn’t understand or agree with. They did not think of themselves but rather the differences they were making for the future of the United States of America. They paid the ultimate price with their lives so that you and I have our freedom. To me, Memorial Day is not just a day off of school anymore. It is a day when I can close my eyes and give my gratitude to the men and women of the military who are no longer with us. Without their sacrifices I wouldn’t be able to do many of the things that I love to do such as riding a bike or jogging a trail. They fought for me and died for me even though they didn’t know me. For that, I am forever grateful.
By Jose Diaz
What I Think About Memorial Day
I think it’s about Memorial Day brave people who went to war for America. We should all thank them for what they did for all of us. I celebrate Memorial Day by going to the parade. I see all the floats: there are Scooby Doo, Sponge Bob, Garfield, and even more. Have you ever gone to the parade? We should all celebrate the people that died in war for America. They sacrificed themselves for USA. To thank them, we should celebrate Memorial Day. They were brave people who cared about America. If you have a family member that was in the war, you should celebrate Memorial Day. You remember them for the rest of your life.
By Elodia E. Benitez
Memorial Day is defined as, “a United States federal holiday that commemorates U.S men and women who died while serving in the military.” And yes, that’s what it does. But, really there is so much more behind that.
Being that this holiday goes back to quite a few wars, I want you to pause and think. Think of a battlefield in the South, the air echoing with gunshots and brother fighting against brother. Think of men and women, all across our history, boarding ships
and planes for a far off country, so far from home…
Now, I’ve obviously never been in a war. I probably don’t have the slightest idea what it’s like. So, I’m saying that I assume that all those men and women, who died, knew it was a definite possibility that they would die. Did they, however, turn and run?
Did they shrink from their duty? No. They fought and died for their country, for what they believed in, for you, and for me.
So, what does Memorial Day mean to me?
It means that I am proud to be in a country that recognizes the depth of these men and women’s sacrifice. That I know that this essay, or anything I do, can never really thank them enough. And I’ll close with the words of Abraham Lincoln, “… that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion.”
By Daniel Rodriguez
All Americans should stop and honor America’s fallen heroes on Memorial Day. Memorial day is the time to honor those brave men and women who gave their lives for others. Memorail Day is not about ballgames and picnics, its about the brave soldiers, sailors, fliers, and marines who have died protecting our country and what it stood for. They died defending a way of life that they felt was worth fighting for. This is a day we show respect and gratitude to fallen heroes of any American war. This is a day of remembrance, honor, and dedication to all the men and women who bravely and selflessly fought for our country and lost their lives so that we could have freedom.
Most of us probably don’t know what the original name of Memorial Day is or why we consider it a national holiday. Memorial Day is originally called Decoration Day and its a day of remberence for those who have died on our nation’s service. On May 5th 1868, Memorial Day was officially proclaimed by General John Logan, a national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11. It was first observered on May 30th in 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to acknowledge the holiday was New York of 1873. The South had refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead in separate days until World War I (When the holiday changed from honoring just those who died in the Civil War to those honoring Americans who died fighting in any war. On May 1996, President Lyndon Johnson declared that Waterloo N.Y. was the official birthplace of Memorial Day. It doesn’t matter where the birthplace was, what matters is that Memorial Day was established to honor the dead who gave it there all.
Many people have forgotten the true meaning of Memorial Day. To me, Memorial Day is the day we honor America’s fallen soldiers for a cause they believed was worth fighting for. I personally don’t know anyone who has fought in any war but I am thankful that these brave men and women who fought in war for our freedom and the future of our country. This is a day when all of us should take a moment of silence and honor the deceased. I believe we all should take a moment to honor the many dead and women who made it possible for us to live in modern society. Without
these brave men and women life as we know it wont exist. We all should be thankful and respectfully, honor these dead for their
devotion and bravery to the cause for which they fought for.,
Before I wrote this report I really didn’t know much about Memorial Day. I knew it was a holiday but I didn’t know why. Since I’ve written my report I have a better understanding of Memorial Day. It is important to me because I now know that people gave up their lives so that my life could be better. I realize how hard it must have been to lose loved ones and how scared the soldiers mus t have been fighting in the war. I think people shouldn’t forget Memorial Day because its not just part of the past, they fought for our future. When we go to the Memorial Day parade it shouldn’t be just to get cotton candy, it should be because we are proud to be Americans. We should remind each other to take a special moment and think about how the soldiers, their families, and their friends must have felt. Memorial Day should be a chance for all of us to come together and honor those who gave their all. I thank all of the soldiers who fought for me.
In conclusion, Memorial Day is a day we honor. It is a day of remembrance, honor, and dedication to all the men and women who bravely and selflessly fought for our country and lost their lives so that we could have freedom. We should all take a moment of silence and respectfully honor these dead because without them who knows how life as we know would it be. On Memorial Day, we all should come together whether or not you know someone who fought in war because its a day of honor and respect for our fallen soldiers.
By Robert Castro
What does Memorial Day mean to me? Memorial Day is the day to honor these dead who have fought for our freedom. But I believe every day of the year should be declared Memorial Day, these fallen heroes should be praised daily for their effort to keep us safe.
I have much family that serves in the military. I understand how brave they are and how dangerous their job is. I have never lost a loved one to the war and I pray that I never will, yet I feel for all those unfortunate families who have lost a brother or sister, a father or mother, a husband or wife. I hope they understand how thankful America is and that their loved one died a true hero.
Every Memorial Day, my family comes together from all over California to celebrate this holiday. We have always prayed for those who have fallen and those who are still in danger. Memorial Day is an important holiday for my family, as it should be for all American families. We all should take the time to give thanks to all those brave men and women who have died for us.
I believe that the Gilroy Memorial Day Parade is a wonderful way to show our gratitude to the fallen soldiers. I will definitely be trying to persuade my family into going to watch the parade. I praise everyone who has made this parade possible, I am truly proud of Gilroy for its devotion to Memorial Day.
What does Memorial Day mean to me? It’s the day where every true American must praise, thank, and show their love for the fallen men and women who bravely gave their lives for our freedom; they are what truly make America the best country on this planet.
