Post Falls students earn prestigious honor
COURTESY PHOTO Jaydynn Pratt and Miranda Daddato, eighth graders at River City Middle School in Post Falls, lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Va. The two were selected to lay the wreath after writing an essay about the monument’s importance.
Jaydynn Pratt and Miranda Daddato, eighth-graders at River City Middle School in Post Falls, prepare to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. The two were selected to lay the wreath after writing an essay about the monument’s importance. Courtesy photo
POST FALLS — Each year at River City Middle School, eighth-grade students who choose to participate in a trip to the nation’s capital also have the opportunity to submit an essay to their teacher for a chance to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Janey Ortega, eighth-grade teacher and one of the chaperones on the trip, told The Press the school normally receives one or two submissions, and those students then get to automatically be a part of the ceremony.
But, this year was different.
“We had 11 kids submit an essay this year,” Ortega said. “It’s the first year so many kids have taken on the challenge. You could tell that it meant something to them and it was something they knew they should pay a lot of respect and honor to.”
Also known as the Tomb of the Unknowns, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia is dedicated to American military personnel who died, but could not be identified. The monument is guarded around the clock by members of the U.S. Army’s Third Infantry Regiment, and only 20 percent of those who volunteer for the prestigious post are accepted.
“It’s pretty involved,” said Ortega of the essay, which centers around the history and importance of the memorial. “We don’t learn about it a ton, so it’s something they have to research on their own.”
Essay submissions, Ortega said, were critiqued by the entire English department and eventually two students were selected — Jaydynn Pratt and Miranda Daddato.
Heather Palmer, Jaydynn’s mom, told The Press Thursday she was really impressed when her daughter expressed interest in the essay contest.
“When I was 14, the last thing I wanted to do in my free time was write a historical essay,” Palmer said with a laugh. “But she probably wrote about 10 different drafts and was always staying late at school so her teachers could give her edits and suggestions.”
When her daughter was selected to lay the wreath, Palmer said she was in tears at the news.
“I just told her I was so proud of her,” Palmer said. “She put a lot of effort into it and it was really exciting when she was selected.”
This year, Ortega and other chaperones accompanied the two winners and 31 other River City students to Washington, D.C., and New York City. The ceremony at Arlington, she said, was incredible to witness and Ortega added she was impressed with how respectful all of the students were throughout.
“The whole trip is often an eye-opening experience for the kids, they get to see that the world is a lot bigger than just Post Falls,” Ortega added.