5^th grade: 

1^st place Gaines Marshall

2^nd place McCaid Paul

3^rd place Billie Hall

4^th grade: 

1^st place Mackenzie Campbell

2^nd place Hannah Shoaf

3^rd place Will Morris

Van R. Butler Elementary is proud to announce the winners of the 2014 Tropicana Speech Contest!

First Place: Jessica Czarnecki

Second Place: Laurel Blazer

Third Place: Reagan Sibley

Photograph (L-R) above with speech judges and Principal Mrs. Smith:  Mrs. Debbie Blount, Jessica Czarnecki, Mr. Jeff Infinger, Laurel Blazer, Tammy Smith, Reagan Sibley, and Mr. Jonathan D'Avignon

The Walton County School District’s Youth Leader classes recently participated in the annual Veteran of Foreign Wars’ (VFW) Voice of Democracy essay contest.  Since 1947, the Voice of Democracy has been the VFW’s premier scholarship program with over $2.1 million in scholarships and incentives being awarded each year.  Students compete by writing and recording a 3 to 5 minute audio essay on a patriotic theme.  This year’s theme was, Why Veterans are Important to our Nation’s History and Future. 

This year over 30 Youth Leadership students submitted entries.  The VFW recognized the top 5 students at the November 18^th School Board Meeting by presenting them with monetary awards.  The essays of the top 3 winners will be sent to the VFW district contest. 

Pictured from left to right:  WHS student Wendy Duncan; WHS student Laura Hydle; 1^st place winner, FHS student Madysen Jones; 2^nd place winner, WHS student Kayla Jackson.  Not pictured:  3^rd place winner, FHS student Anna Sefo.