The Soldiers' Monument Commission sponsored a poetry contest at the Gilbert School to select the best poem to be read by the submitting student at the Memorial Day commemoration at East End Park on May 30, 2016. The first place recipient also won $50 for his winning entry. Below are all three place finishers:
1st place- Nicholaus Komons, Junior
2nd place- Jordan Moon, Senior
3rd place- Alaijar Santiago, Senior                                                             **********************************************************************************
Red, White and Blue
by Nicholaus Komons

Red, for valor, their great courage when in danger
White, for purity, their freedom from contamination
And Blue, for perseverance, their steadfastness in doing something difficult
Red, White, and Blue,
What we commemorate today
Our strong US Soldiers,
We remember this Memorial Day.

Red, for their blood, and sacrifice                                                      White, for their never wavering determination
And Blue, for their memories of distant skies.
Red, White, and Blue
In memoriam of friends,
Of brothers and sisters,
Of mothers and fathers,
Of all those who fought for us
We will remember
This Memorial Day.
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The Constellation Lays...
by Jordan Moon

The constellation lays
not in the sky,
but on our flag,
unified together in a pattern
that we all know so well.

The stars represent
every single one of us
no matter how far away;
could be one hundred miles,
could be one thousand.

The stripes we wear
flow in the sky
in colors of red and white.

They’re for remembrance
of the one’s who
have shed their tears
over the deaths of their
loved ones.

The flag is a symbol for the United States,
for us, in remembering our strengths
and how we are together as one
no matter how far away.
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On This Day
by Alaija Santiago

On this day, we will remember our fallen ones
Our heroes, Brothers, Fathers, Sisters, and Mothers
On this day, we will remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice
On this day, we honor their bravery
On this day, we celebrate their justice
On this day, we continue their pride
On this day, we represent what our heroes fought for
On this day, we embrace, Freedom