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Every year, the VFW sponsors a youth essay competition. This competition gives students an opportunity to write essays expressing their views on an annual patriotic theme. The essay must be a contestant’s original work and a product of the contestant’s own thinking. The theme was “What Makes America Great.” The local VFW recognized the following students and they received monetary awards. Pictured are, from left, first place, Mary Katelyn Hite of Kenbridge; second place, David Rimon of South Hill; and third place, Nathaniel Schodt of Crewe. (Send a “Pic Me Up” with names and information to PicMeUp@KVDispatch.com.)