Two St. Paul's Students Win State DAR Essay Contest

Recently, two St. Paul’s middle school students won Missouri’s state level Daughters of the American Revolution essay contest. Victoria, 7th grade, and Sophia, 6th grade, won in their respective grade levels after winning the local contest and automatically advancing to the state competition earlier this year. This year’s essay prompt asked writers to explore a first-person perspective of the Boston Massacre and its implications.

Read below for excerpts from Victoria’s and Sophia’s essays. Congratulations to these two budding and celebrated writers! 

“ ‘There were colonists throwing items at soldiers; I will not deny that. However, others have said the Captain ordered them to fire at the crowd.’ Mother pauses. My sisters nod in agreement, while my brother scowls. Since everyone has picked a side, I now feel obligated to choose one as well. I think about what Father has said, and then what Mother said. While I am doing this, my siblings are all chattering about who they think is right. Trying hard to block out the noise, I think about which statement is most logical, and believable. After hearing my parents discuss where they got their information, and hearing my siblings bicker, I feel no rush to choose a side. While Anne, Mary, and John continue to argue, I look out the window at the snow-covered, cobblestone street. I see the sun setting behind the clouds, like the end of one thing, and the beginning of something revolutionary. I hope that choosing sides is not the only solution. There is always more than one perspective to consider. To have empathy, to understand others, and to hear every point of view, are all crucial for a successful life.” Victoria, 7th Grade Essay Contest Winner

“ ‘Both of you need to respect each other. Everyone is entitled to his own opinion. I believe that no one should start taking sides on whose fault it is, until it is proven.  I believe that the soldiers, all of them, should be given a fair trial, just like John Adams believes. It is wrong to assume that all of them are guilty of manslaughter. Though I am a Patriot myself, I do believe that the Colonists started the fighting. Both sides did wrong last night, and you should know that. This event has given the Patriots a spark like nothing else. It has given them motivation to fight for the lives that were lost last night. It made the Colonists angry that the soldiers would do this, so they wanted to fight back. The Colonists are going to organize themselves to fight against the King, The Parliament, and their laws. Though most Patriots were already aggravated because of Christopher Seider’s killing, The Stamp Act, and The Townshend Acts, this was the last straw. The spark has turned into a flame.’ I said, a bit out of breath. Little did I know, that the fire was only starting…” Sophia, 6th grade Essay Contest Winner