Hodgdon High School graduate chosen as essay winner

by Staff Pioneer Times
14 years ago

    HODGDON — Veteran’s Day, celebrated on Nov. 11, is an opportunity for all of us to recognize the men and women who have served in our armed forces both in war and peace.  We should never forget that freedom is not free. The Cole Land Transportation Museum, founded by Galen Cole, provides an amazing opportunity for young adults to interview these icons of living history at their museum located in Bangor, Maine.
    After interviewing veterans at the Cole Land Transportation Museum, each participating school may submit three outstanding essays. Hodgdon High School was honored at the annual Veteran’s Day Ceremony as Annie Hare, a 2010 graduate of Hodgdon High School and a current student at Unity College, was chosen as the third place winner in this prestigious contest. Hare read her award winning essay titled, “What Freedom Means to me After Interviewing a Veteran” through held back tears as veterans and their families intently listened to each word, many quietly weeping. Hare told the poignant story of remembering placing flags on the veteran’s graves as a child with her grandmother and talking with her uncle and grandfather about WWII and Vietnam. Hare received a $300 Savings Bond and Certificate of Award for her words of honor and remembrance. 
    She traveled from Unity College to attend the Veteran’s Day Celebration with her mother, MaryAnne Hare of New Limerick, and her former English teacher from Hodgdon High School, Nannette Mills.
    Any teacher interested in sharing this life changing opportunity of the Veteran Interview Program with their students can contact the Cole Land Transportation Museum at www.colemuseum.org or call 207-990-3600 and speak to Pat Trice.  Teachers can also contact Mills, at Hodgdon High School, who has participated in this amazing program with her students for the past six years. Mills can be contacted at www.msad70.org. The Cole Land Transportation Museum provides scholarships for transportation and bus driver costs for qualifying school districts.