ntest, “What I Love About the Holidays," sponsored by Vineland Downtown Improvement District/ Main Street Vineland.Three Vineland Public Schools students won $50 gift cards for writing the best essays in the Holiday parade essay contest, “What I Love About the Holidays," sponsored by Vineland Downtown Improvement District/ Main Street Vineland.
The winners were: Samantha Rodriguez, a third grade student at Cunningham Elementary School (teacher Valerie Carbonara); Selena Bautista, a fifth-grade student at Johnstone Elementary School (teachers Lourdes Ayala and Jessica Mercado) and Giselle Quiles, an eighth grade student at Wallace Middle School (English teacher Susan Barruzza).
The essays were judged by professors at Cumberland County College, according to Barbara Kutner-Ernst, event coordinator.
“The essays were beautiful…heartwarming,” said Kutner-Ernst. “They talked about family, holiday traditions, and were very well written. We’re really proud of all the entrants.”
The gift cards were awarded by Gladys Lugardo, chairperson of the judging committee, and Todd Noon of Main Street Vineland.
The winning essays, and most of the 100 plus other compositions submitted for the contest, will be published in a tabloid that will be distributed at the parade, scheduled for Nov. 24 at 7 p.m.
The winners will also be introduced on Channel 13 prior to the start of the parade. The event will be aired for the first time on Monday, Nov. 26 at 7 p.m.
The winning essays:
What I like Most about the Holidays- by Samantha Rodriguez
I really like Christmas because it’s my birthday. I enjoy drinking hot chocolate filled with chocolate chips and white marshmallows while sitting by the warm fire. I enjoy getting presents and leaving cookies and milk for Santa Claus. I enjoy looking at the red and green lights used for decorations.
Christmas Eve- by Selena Bautista
Christmas Eve is my favorite holiday celebration. I enjoy watching my mother and older sisters cook all morning in the kitchen while my father is constantly following all of them and snapping pictures for our photo albums. My mother cooks the best food in the world. Besides all of the cooking that takes place in our home I like the exchange of gifts. For some reason exchanging gifts brings me much joy, especially when my entire family is around.
Holidays - by Giselle Quiles
Do you like the holidays? I do! I like all the food. I also like the family time. Another reason why I like the holidays is the memories.
One reason why I like the holidays is the food. First, when we wake up, we have a big brunch with our parents and siblings. Later on that day, we get together with the rest of the family and have a big holiday dinner. There are a lot of different types of food. We don’t have to worry about having a limit on what we eat. We can eat what we want and how much we want.
The second reason why I like the holidays is the family time. Everyone comes together to spend quality time with the rest of the family. You get to catch up on old times. You also get to plan or share your ideas for the next holiday coming up. It also keeps the family close.
Another reason why I like the holidays is the many memories. When we get together we share past memories and make new ones. We all come together and share our funny, happy, and sad stories. In our memories are included the ones that we know we’ll never forget.
In summary, the holidays are special to me because of the food, family time, and memories. These are the most important things about the holidays, in my opinion. These are also the reasons why I like the holidays so much.