What does the flag mean to you?

Each year, the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn fifth graders complete a flag unit in language arts class. They learn about flag etiquette, the history of the United States flag, and the different branches of the U.S. military. The students, along with their teacher, Angie Mayer, even go through each part of the U.S. Flag Code.

At the end of the unit, the students are left with a better understanding of what the flag represents and how to show it respect. They then write an essay of 300 words or less reflecting on what the flag means to them, being sure to include information from the Flag Code.

The local American Legion posts vote on and choose the Top 3 winners. This year's winners were Aria Benz, Madison Fritz and Skyler McCarter, who received certificates and checks last week from local Legion members at the middle school awards ceremony.

'I'm honored to live in this country and have the freedom and rights that I do'

By Aria Benz, Hartley, 1st Place

What the flag means to me is life because of how the soldiers fought for our life and country. They risked their lives defending our country and us for freedom. My papa served in the United States Navy. When I asked him what the American flag meant to him, he replied with freedom and patriotism. While learning about the flag and all it stands for, I have grown in my own patriotism. There are many interesting facts about the flag but a few really stood out to me.

It is very disrespectful to our flag, country, and our veterans to remain seated and/or wear a hat while singing the National Anthem or the Pledge of Allegiance. No one should wear the flag as clothing or drop or damage the flag. If our flag is displayed upside down, it symbolizes the person or people who are in trouble and need help.

The appearance of the flag has always stood out to me but I didn't know what the colors, stripes, and stars stood for. I learned the 13 stripes stood for the 13 original colonies alternating red and white. The 50 stars represent the 50 states that currently make up the United States of America. The red represents the hardiness while the white symbolizes the innocence. The blue behind the stars represents perseverance and justice. If a new state were to be added, a new star would be added to the flag on the Fourth of July.

The American flag stands for our freedom and the life we are able to live thanks to those who have fought for us. I'm honored to live in this country and have the freedom and rights that I do.

'The flag means a lot to our nation'

By Madison Fritz, Hartley, 2nd Place

The American flag to me symbolizes freedom and respect. I think of freedom because I think of all the opportunities I have had and not everyone in the world has. When I say opportunities, I mean all the things I have gotten to do. For example, I have done gymnastics, basketball, softball and volleyball. I also think of respect because I respect the people who aren't home for the holidays because they are fighting for our country.

The flag means a lot to our nation so when you are displaying a flag you need to respect it. You can respect it by never letting it touch the ground. Another way you can respect it is by always having a light on it in darkness. You also should never use the flag as a curtain, blanket, handkerchief or clothing. You should never add anything to the flag or write on it. You should never fly any flags above it or to the right of it. When you see the flag, you remove your headwear and put your right hand over your heart or salute if you are in uniform. When you are displaying the flag, the union should never be facing the ground because that means that you are in danger.

When we read through the flag code, I found it interesting that when we get a new state we will add a star to the flag on the following Fourth of July. Another thing I found interesting was that the flag is considered a living thing because the country is living.

I am glad I had the opportunity to do this project because it makes me think how proud I am to live in the U.S.A.

'It shows that we are strong and we are all working

together'

By Skyler McCarter, Melvin, 3rd Place

The flag makes me think of how lucky I am to be in the U.S.A. The flag reminds me of our freedom that we have earned. It also reminds me of my great-grandpa who served in the Army in World War II. The flag is important to me because it shows that we are strong and we are all working together. I think the flag also represents the respect we have for the people in the military and people who have served and passed away serving our country.

There are many ways to show respect for the flag. There is a special way to fold it, and you should always have a light on the flag at night. I learned that if a flag is too damaged to hang up anymore, you should burn the flag in a respectful way or drop it off in a flag box at an American Legion. I also learned that there had been all sorts of other flags back in the 1700-1800s. Our flag now has 50 stars to represent the 50 states in America. The 13 red and white stripes on the flag are for the original 13 colonies. Another thing I learned was that only the president can change the flag code. If the flag is upside down, that means that someone is in trouble or someone is in danger. The last thing is something I've always known. At a game, when they are playing the national anthem, you must take your hat off and face the flag. Now I know this is to show respect. The flag represents our country, and that's why we need to show it respect.