Four students were honored by the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary for essays they wrote about the flag. Each student was awarded a $50 savings bond.

In God we Trust

by Hannah Hein-Pepka, Seeliger Elementary School

Some people say the flag is just a symbol of the United States of America but to me it shows a lot more than that. It shows that our nation is standing strong and that we will always be a nation.

When people put up the flag, it's like saying proudly that you're a faithful citizen of our country.

The flag is not just a piece of cloth, we respect it and honor it like it deserves. For example, the flag should never be on the ceiling or be used as a decoration. And whenever someone special to the country dies, you are always supposed to lower the flag to half mast. These things aren't just wrong if you do it, but it means you are not respecting the flag like it should be respected.

The flag may not be special to you but it will always be special to our country.

Lately, I have seen a lot more of the flag than I did before Sept. 11 and it has not just been flying in the sky but now whenever I see the flag, I think of all the men and women who risked their lives for our country.

I think now people respect the flag more than ever, like on T.V. when the flag is being raised, people don't just put their hands over their heart because you're supposed to but they put it there as their symbol to honor our country,

When the flag is ripped up or torn, you should always burn it and get a new one. And at night, you should always have a spotlight on the flag if you have it out at night.

The flag should never be put upside down and the flag shouldn't touch the ground. I hope that when you hear this you now honor the flag a lot more than you did before and when you see the flag you think of all the things I have told you today.

I especially hope you will respect the flag a lot more now. I know I will.

Well, I hope I see a lot more of the flag and that people will not just put up the flag for fun but to show this country's freedom and to show that this country will always be "one nation under God."

Honoring the Flag

by Erik Novak, Seeliger Elementary School

Honoring the flag to me is like honoring my family. A way to honor the flag is to hang it up correctly. The way to hang it up on a wall is to always have the stars on the left side.

Another way to honor the flag is to have it at half mast when a tragedy has happened like on Sept. 11. To honor the flag, is to pledge to it every day. If a United States flag comes by it is showing respect to salute it.

At last, when your flag is getting old and torn up, it is important and respectful to burn your flag.

Ways not to respect the flag: If you burn the flag when it is brand new, it is not respecting the flag. Or if you make clothes out of the flag.

If you let the flag touch the ground on accident it is all right if you automatically get it off the ground, but if you purposely drop the flag, it is disrespectful.

The Flag

by Karli Dodge, Fremont Elementary School

We say the pledge every day, we sing heroic songs. This is the way most people honor our country and especially our flag.

Our flag shows us a lot of things like peace, freedom, love, hope, faith and it always makes us proud. So I think we should honor it in the greatest way. I wouldn't know how to honor our flag except by respecting it, by trying hard to help people that are in need and just respecting everything and everyone.

We should be proud of what our flag and country has done for us because in some other countries, some people treat other people like dirt. But here, in our country, we are all treated equally and fair.

This is why I think we should honor the flag.

The proper way to honor the American flag

by Shayla Clark, Seeliger Elementary School

I think it is important to honor our flag. Of course, there are many ways to honor it.

The blue on the flag stands for our freedom. The stripes stand for the 13 colonies. The red stripes stand for the blood the soldiers shed. The white stripes stand for purity. The stars stand for the 50 states.

The most popular way to honor the flag is to say the Pledge of Allegiance. That is how I honor the flag. I am very proud to be an American.

I love America.