From Pottstown School District:

Pottstown Middle School students participated in the Elks Lodge 814’s Drug Awareness Essay Contest.  Seventh graders in Mrs. Dee Pettine’s Advanced Reading class demonstrated their thinking and writing talents.  The contest was open to all area middle school students.

Pottstown seventh grade students Christopher Stone and Racheal Levengood were selected as the winners of Lodge 814’s contest.  Winning essays were judged on their originality, correct grammatical structure, and closeness to theme.

Both Christopher and Racheal are members of the Pottstown Middle School band and National Junior Honor Society.

Dennis Arms, Drug Awareness Program Chairman explained local efforts, “The Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks has been active in the fight against all forms of substance abuse.  The Drug Awareness Essay Contest is another step in furthering their efforts.  The purpose of the contest is two-fold – to promote local awareness among young people of the major societal problems of alcohol and drug abuse and to generate ideas for the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks Substance Abuse Awareness posters and literature.”

The Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks is a fraternal organization with nearly a million members and a 141 year history.  The Elks has a generous charitable foundation that each year gives millions in scholarships, an inspiration to youth, and friend to veterans and more.  Their four cardinal virtues are – charity, justice, brotherly love, and fidelity.