Indiana Troopers Association - 2000 Essay Contest

June 2, 2000 is a date that many Indiana 5^th graders and their parents will long remember. On that date Governor Frank O’Bannon, Indiana State Police Superintendent Melvin Carraway and Indiana Troopers Association President Michael Nufer honored them at the Statehouse Rotunda for being county winners in the 4th Annual 5th Grade Essay Contest.

This year’s program began in January, when invitations were sent to every public elementary school in the state. Fifth grade classes were asked to participate by having students compose an original essay in 100-words or less on the subject, “Why I Choose To Live A Drug-Free Life”. Entries were due in mid-March and approximately 250 entries were received representing 83 Indiana counties. Counties who did not participate were: Clark, Clinton, Dearborn, Greene, Hamilton, Jennings, Knox and Vigo.

Again this year, the Steuben County Literacy Coalition had the difficult job of selecting a county winner, four runners-up and a statewide winner. The top five in the state were: Lauren Kerwin, JW Riley Elementary, Hammond (Lake County) – 1^st place; Dallas Howard, Lincoln Elementary, Roselawn (Newton County) – 2^nd place; Jamie Bergdall, Monmouth Elementary, Decatur (Adams County) – 3^rd place; Austin Anderson, Fremont Elementary, Fremont (Steuben County) – 4^th place; and Brittany Williams, Southwestern Elementary, Hanover (Jefferson County) –5^th place. A complete listing of county winners is also listed.

Many Indiana State Police officers across the state attended end of year Awards Programs in the various counties and presented the award certificates and US Savings Bonds on behalf of the ITA.

While we consider each entrant a winner to the ITA and to their respective schools, county winners received a $500 US Savings Bond from the ITA and an award certificate. The statewide winner received an additional $500 savings bond.

Our September/October issue of The Trooper Magazine will feature the essay contest winners and the special program at the Statehouse. Please refer to our website at a later date for a more complete overview of this year’s program.

If you have a child in 5^th grade during the 2000-2001 school year, or if you are not sure if your school or your county was well-represented, please make a commitment to contact them this fall and encourage their participation in this outstanding program.

The goal of our program is two-fold: to encourage elementary age children to focus on the reasons for living a drug-free life and to be rewarded for their efforts; and to continue to lend a helping hand to build a better Indiana – one child at a time.

In a recent meeting of the Board of Directors of the association, by unanimous vote, the 5^th Grade Essay Contest has been renamed in memory of longtime ITA member, David Deuter and will be known as the David A. Deuter Memorial Essay Contest.

“Why I Choose to Live A Drug-Free Life” Essay Contest Winners:

County Student School
Adams — Jamie Bergdall, Monmouth Elementary, Decatur.
Allen — Christina Morgan, Southern Heights Elementary, Fort Wayne.
Bartholomew — Jessie Monroe, Lillian Schmitt Elementary, Columbus.
Benton — Lauren Care, Fowler Elementary, Fowler.
Blackford — Alissa Riddle, Northside Elementary, Hartford City.
Boone — John Ashmore, Central Elementary, Lebanon.
Brown — Kyla Allman, Nashville Elementary, Nashville.
Carroll — Alisha Brower, Carroll Elementary, Flora.
Cass — Casey Rich, Landis Elementary, Logansport.
Clay — Jamie Nichols, Staunton Elementary, Staunton.
Crawford — Tony Sturgeon, Patoka Elementary, Eckerty.
Daviess — Jason Graber, Barr-Reeve Community School, Montgomery.
Decatur — Stephanie Nichole Schroer, South Decatur Elementary, Greensburg.
DeKalb — Ashlee Rowe, Waterloo Elementary, Waterloo.
Delaware — Alex Kluge, Royerton Elementary, Muncie.
Dubois — Kelli Lueken, Dubois Middle School, Dubois.
Elkhart — Laynie Nisley, Woodview Elementary, Nappanee.
Fayette — Sierra Lindsay, Eastview School, Connersville.
Floyd — Katie Ashby, Georgetown Elementary, Georgetown.
Fountain — Elizabeth Overpeck, Covington Elementary, Covington.
Franklin — Chelsey Edwards, Laurel Elementary, Laurel.
Fulton — Kala Bickel, Akron Elementary, Akron.
Gibson— Erica Hardiman, Brumfield Elementary, Princeton.
Grant — Tony Pyles, Eastbrook-Washington Elementary, Marion.
Hancock — Chris Harris, Eden Elementary, Greenfield.
Harrison — Lucas Thompson, Lanesville Elementary, Lanesville.
Hendricks — Austin Turner, Danville South Elementary, Danville.
Henry — Kylie Terrell, Tri Elementary, Straughn.
Howard — Jeanie Sozansky, Eastern Elementary School, Greentown.
Huntington — Ashley Allred, Central Elementary, Huntington.
Jackson — Evan Tangman, Cortland Elementary, Seymour.
Jasper — Christy Roorda, DeMotte Elementary, DeMotte.
Jay — Dustin Snyder, East Elementary School, Portland.
Jefferson — Brittany Williams, Southwestern Elementary, Hanover.
Johnson — Stacey Williams, Clark Elementary, Franklin.
Kosciusko — Brittany Hoffer, Mentone Elementary, Mentone.
LaGrange — Bree Hough, Prairie Heights Middle School, LaGrange.
Lake — Lauren Kerwin, James Whitcomb Riley Elementary, Hammond.
LaPorte — Tiffany Gehrke, Springfield Elementary, Michigan City.
Lawrence — Rebekah Lineback, Parkview Intermediate School, Bedford.
Madison — Stacy O'Neal, Valley Grove Elementary, Anderson.
Marion — John Johnson, Thomas Gregg Elementary (IPS 15), Indianapolis.
Marshall — Nick Roberts, Webster Elementary, Plymouth.
Martin — Brad Zins, Loogootee Elementary, Loogootee.
Miami — Brock Morgan, Converse Elementary, Converse.
Monroe — Sharon Davis, Childs Elementary, Bloomington.
Montgomery — Kristen Alderfer, Lester B. Sommer Elementary, Crawfordsville.
Morgan — Erica Welch, North Madison Elementary, Camby.
Newton — Dallas Howard, Lincoln Elementary, Roselawn.
Noble — Stephanie Barker, Wayne Center Elementary, Kendallville.
Ohio — Hannah Ryle, Ohio County Elementary, Rising Sun.
Orange — Dane Matthew, Orleans Elementary, Orleans.
Owen — Mary Clouser, Spencer Elementary, Spencer.
Parke — Beau Brown, Rosedale Elementary, Rosedale.
Perry — Laura Rudolph, Cannelton Elementary, Cannelton.
Pike — Rachel Hopf, Otwell Elementary, Otwell.
Porter — Kristin Kalita, Bailly School, Chesterton.
Posey — Megan Newton, North Elementary, Poseyville.
Pulaski — Jess Daily, Eastern Pulaski Elementary, Winamac.
Putnam — Sarah Boswell, Reelsville Elementary, Reelsville.
Randolph — Kayla Bush, Willard Elementary, Winchester.
Ripley — Elizabeth Houze, Milan Elementary, Milan.
Rush — Kristin Letsinger, Mays Elementary, Mays.
St. Joseph — Synoeum Koeuth, James Madison School, South Bend.
Scott — Emilee Wolka, Scottsburg Elementary, Scottsburg.
Shelby — Daniel Lewis, William F. Loper Elementary, Shelbyville.
Spencer — Katelyn Jones, Luce Elementary, Richland.
Starke — Erin Rosander, Oregon-Davis Elementary, Hamlet.
Steuben — Austin Anderson, Fremont Middle School, Fremont.
Sullivan — Kaylissa Horton, Carlisle Elementary, Carlisle.
Switzerland — Ashley Bright, Jefferson-Craig, Vevay.
Tipton — Jordan Henry, Tipton Elementary, Tipton.
Union — Austin Fiely, College Corner-Union School, West College Corner.
Vanderburgh — Kelci Scott, Lincoln Elementary, Evansville.
Vermillion — Justin Yoho, North Vermillion Elementary, Cayuga.
Wabash — Katie Powers, Laketon Elementary, Laketon.
Warren — Jessica Allison, Warren Central School, West Lebanon.
Warrick — Andy Broshears, Loge Elementary, Boonville.
Washington — Kaysi Proffitt, West Washington School, Campbellsburg.
Wayne — Gary Moody, Highland Heights Elementary, Richmond.
Wells — Joel Newman, Southern Wells Elementary, Poneto.
White — Autumn McElroy, Monon Elementary, Monon.
Whitley — Brittany Wise, Northern Heights Elementary, Columbia City.