JULY 29-31, 2022
Solberg Airport - Readington, NJ 800-HOT-AIR-9
Countdown to Festival Fun
|
Until the 2020
|
|
Quick Chek New Jersey
|
|
Festival of Ballooning!
|
FAMILY’S FREEDOM INSPIRES 13 YEAR OLD’S WINNING ESSAY
FAMILY’S FREEDOM INSPIRES 13 YEAR OLD’S WINNING ESSAY ABOUT THE AMERICAN FLAG, WINS RIDE IN HOT AIR BALLOON AT SCHOOL
ESSAY ABOUT HIS ANCESTORS’ FREEDOM FROM NAZIS AND SLAVERY IS BEST IN THE STATE
Classmates Finish 1st & 2nd for First Time in Contest’s History
UNION, NJ --- To 13 year old Guy Francis, the American Flag means freedom, particularly the freedom his ancestors attained going back several generations as his maternal great grandfather traveled 4,000 miles to flee the Nazis during World War II and his paternal great, great, great grandfather escaped from slavery in North Carolina.
The seventh grader from Kawameeh Middle School in Union, NJ has been named the Grand Prize winner of the 14th annual PNC Bank “American Patriot Essay Contest,” a statewide competition sponsored by the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Association with PNC Bank in which school children in grades 2 through 12 throughout New Jersey wrote about “What the American Flag Means to Me.”
As part of his Grand Prize, the Festival and PNC Bank brought a 75-foot-tall hot air balloon to his school Tuesday, June 20, where he took a tethered ride in front of his family, hundreds of classmates, township and county officials and dignitaries.
His moving essay was selected the best among the thousands of essays received by a panel of judges comprised of PNC Bank and Balloon Festival staff and educators. The contest was held as part of PNC’s community outreach efforts through its association with the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning.
Guy also receives a free ride to go up, up and away in one of the 100 hot air balloons at the 35th annual festival, July 28-29-30 in Readington, NJ, along with VIP tickets for his family. Each of his 29 classmates, his teacher, and his school principal receive free tickets to the annual Festival, the largest summertime hot air balloon and music festival in North America.
“It was extremely heartfelt to see the very personal meaning the flag and his family have to him,” said Festival Executive Producer Howard Freeman. “To understand what his ancestors went through to achieve their freedom, going back several generations, is very impressive. His essay best captured the spirit of both the contest and American flag. QuickChek, PNC and the festival are proud to present him with this award.”
For the first time in the contest’s history, the first and second place finishers are from the same school as Judd Espejo, also a seventh grader, was runner-up. Judd wrote how his mother would not have been able to receive treatment to completely heal from stage 2 breast cancer had they been living in the home country in the Philippines and not here in the United States. Both Guy and Judd are students in the school’s gifted and talented program taught by Larry Petras.
Samantha Lagrosa, a sixth grade student at George G. White Middle School in Hillsdale, was third. Espejo and Lagrosa also receive complimentary admission into the festival, as do all teachers who submitted 15 or more essays on behalf of their students.
For additional information on the contest and the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Association with PNC Bank visit www.balloonfestival.com.
###
MEDIA CONTACT:
Russ Mensch
Mensch & Company, Inc.
Public Relations & Event Marketing
phone: 201-797-2448
email: [email protected]
|
Browse by Year »
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004
Browse by Month »
July 2021 June 2021 April 2021 January 2021 December 2020 August 2020 June 2020 May 2020 March 2020 February 2020 October 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 October 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 February 2016 January 2016 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 July 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 July 2013 April 2013 February 2013 January 2013 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 March 2012 February 2012 October 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 December 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 March 2005 February 2005 December 2004 |
