SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Recently, the Springfield Elks Lodge #1560 and the Vermont Elks Association held an American Essay Contest for students at the middle school level. The theme for the essay was, “What is your American Dream?”
This year’s first place winner was Annalise Bladyka Mitchel, a sixth grader at Riverside Middle School. She is the daughter of Anne Bladyka. She received a plaque from the Springfielld Elks, and a plaque from the Vermont Elks as the state winner. Annalise Bladyka’s essay will be entered in the National Elks Essay Contest, and she will be competing with the other 49 state Elks winners for the national Elks title.