Luke Schepman believes freedom gives us opportunities to grow as an individual and better ourselves.
When asked to write an essay about what freedom means to him for a school assignment, the St. John’s Sauers Lutheran School sixth-grader thought about the subject and how freedom makes our country different from others.
“Freedom gives us choices that we might not otherwise have,” Schepman wrote. “In some places, you don’t have the choice of education, dressing how you want to or the choice of religion.”
Schepman said if people can make these choices, they can increase their personal happiness.
“Freedom is what holds this country together,” he wrote. “Without the different opinions, choices and growth and development that freedom gives us, our country would be the same as every other country.”
His work was entered in the Sertoma Club of Jackson County’s annual What Freedom Means to Me Essay Contest by his teacher, Kim Sullivan.
“Luke is a very hardworking, dedicated young man who is very deserving of this award,” Sullivan said. “He is a blessing to have in the classroom, and I am proud of his success.”
All sixth grade classes in the county were invited to participate. Some teachers chose to assign the 200-word essay as a class writing assignment.
After all of this year’s entries were read and taken into consideration, Sertoma members chose Schepman’s essay as the best overall in Jackson County, and he was named the grand prize winner.
He is the son of Drew and Lindsey Schepman.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions being in place, the club’s annual Freedom Banquet was not held this year. Monetary prizes were mailed to five overall winners, representing five schools.
The runners-up from individual schools included Isabella Canlas from the Seymour Middle School Sixth Grade Center, Lauren Brown from Immanuel Lutheran School, Marley Warren from Lutheran Central School and Breysi Sanchez Morales from Sandy Creek Christian Academy.
Sertoma will be hosting the essay contest again in the fall.
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What Freedom Means to Me
By Luke Schepman, a sixth-grader at St. John’s Sauers Lutheran School
Freedom means that I can have different opinions than other people about different things. Freedom also means that I have choices. In addition, freedom makes room for growth and development.
Different people have different opinions on different things. That is what makes our country so diverse and unique. This country simply wouldn’t be the same if everyone always agreed on everything. What I’m trying to say is that we are all very different, and freedom lets us be ourselves.
Freedom gives us choices that we might not otherwise have. In some places, you don’t have the choice of education, dressing how you want to or the choice of religion. If people can make these choices, they can increase their personal happiness.
Freedom gives us opportunities to grow as an individual and better ourselves. When we grow individually, we help make our country better and stronger. If we can stand together and grow as a whole country, our country will be stronger than it ever has been before.
Freedom is what holds this country together. Without the different opinions, choices and growth and development that freedom gives us, our country would be the same as every other country. And that is what freedom means to me.
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Winners in the Sertoma Club of Jackson County’s annual What Freedom Means to Me Essay Contest
First place: Luke Schepman, St. John’s Sauers Lutheran School
Other school winners:
Other school winners: Isabella Canlas, Seymour Middle School Sixth Grade Center; Lauren Brown, Immanuel Lutheran School; Marley Warren, Lutheran Central School; and Breysi Sanchez Morales from Sandy Creek Christian Academy
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