The Bagley-Gardiner-Foster Veteran’s of Foreign Wars Post 9, Gardiner, recently held an awards ceremony and ice cream social for the Gardiner Regional Middle School seventh graders. Approximately 100 students wrote essays on the topic “What Freedom Means to Me.”

Mikayla Turner placed first, with Bailey Poore, second; and Sam Farley, third. Also in attendance were Debra Couture, Post 9 Patriot’s Pen chairperson; Donna Whelan, GRMS teacher and Patriot’s Pen chairperson; Todd Sanders, GRMS principal; Pat Hopkins, MSAD 11 superintendent; Roger McLane, Post 9 commander; Roger Line, Post 9; and Greg Couture, Post 9. All three students competed at the district level. Poore won the district competition and competed at the state level.