AN 11-YEAR-OLD girl's perspective of her post-Sept. 11 world captured the grand prize in the annual John Wilson Senior Memorial Essay Contest, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Mountain Road.
The contest was open to fifth-graders at Bodkin, Fort Smallwood, High Point, Jacobsville, Freetown, Lake Shore, Riviera Beach, St. Jane Frances, Solley and Sunset Beach elementary schools. The entries - more than 500 - on the topic "How 9-11 affected me" were submitted to a committee of Kiwanians that selected eight finalists.
Of those eight, a grand prize-winning essay was selected with input from the club membership.
The winners, their parents and classroom teachers were invited to the Kiwanis Club's annual student awards dinner early this month.
Finalists and their schools were: Melany Parlaman, Bodkin Elementary; Caitlen DeCenzo, Freetown; Sarah Harris, High Point; Tim Wickless, Jacobsville; Ryan Walter, Lake Shore; Brandon Booker, Riviera Beach; Alexandria Keane, St. Jane Frances; and Corey Moon, Sunset. Each finalist received a $50 savings bond.
Sarah Harris, daughter of David and Sherry Harris, won the grand prize.
Here is her winning entry:
"There was once a girl who believed that she should have all the fun possible in life. Then one day the Twin Towers and Pentagon were bombed. She didn't know that much about the Twin Towers, but she knew what happened must have been bad. She helped her school raise money for the American Red Cross to help with the relief fund. She wore red, white, and blue on the first day of school. That was the first Spirit Day of the year. In music class, patriotic songs were sung and she sang them with all her heart.
"She wasn't as selfish as before, or greedy. She now knows that life can be taken away as quickly as it came. She would like to help her country in some way, but she isn't exactly sure how. The only problem is she wants to make a big difference, but she is only eleven.
"The black smoke that she saw on the TV will never die. That black smoke will always be remembered. As she watched TV, tears were held back. She couldn't believe how somebody could do a thing so terrible to a country so great. As the smoke cleared she saw ordinary people come together and help the many injured. She was extremely touched by the greatness, power, and love between the people of the world.
"Since September 11 she knows that the people who died are the heroes that will always be remembered, but the firefighters who helped save some of the people are the legends who will never die.
"The girl in this story is not fictional. That girl is me."
For her efforts, Sarah received a second $50 savings bond and a plaque, presented by club member Don Allen.
Two graduating seniors are selected annually by the club to receive a scholarship of $750 to be used at the college of their choice. Anne Bik of Northeast High and William Mundy of Chesapeake High each received a check for $350 at the awards dinner as a partial payment of their scholarship awards.
"We will send them the other $350 in January, after we receive a copy of their first-semester grades," club spokesman Robert Baxter said.
In keeping with the educational theme of the annual dinner, the guest speaker was Celeste Michael, 80, who received her high school diploma at age 79 through the adult education external diploma program. She is enrolled in a college-level creative writing course.
Music was provided by violinist Stuart Wong, a winner in last year's contest and a member of the Greater Baltimore Youth Orchestra Concert String Group.
Now that the awards dinner is past, the club can return to focusing on serving the Pasadena community. Club services include installing safety equipment in the homes of the elderly and sponsoring parties for the disabled.
The club meets for dinner at 6:30 p.m. on the first three Tuesdays of the month at the Pampered Pallet on Fort Smallwood Road.
Information: Don Allen, 410-255-4776.
Antique toys and tools
The antique toy and tool collection of the Schmidt family of Mountain Road will be the centerpiece of Father's Day celebrations from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Hancock's Resolution, the historic park in Pasadena.
The collection to be displayed includes a variety of tin windup toys manufactured by the Louis Marx Co. from 1929 to 1940, Marx Merry Makers toys and a selection of hand tools, including horse-drawn plows and one-man and two-man crosscut saws.
Visitors can bring a favorite antique tool or toy to share. Admission is free, but donations to help with programs are accepted.
The rain date for the program is June 23.
The farmhouse is at 2795 Bayside Beach Road.
Information: 410-255-4048.
Pancake breakfast
Mount Carmel United Methodist Church, 4760 Mountain Road, will hold its monthly pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. June 22 in the fellowship hall.
The menu includes pancakes, eggs, sausage, fruit cup, juice, coffee and milk.
The cost is $5 for adults and $3 for children age 12 and younger.
Proceeds will benefit the building fund.
Information: 410-255-8887.
Visit to Atlantic City
Join the Orchard Beach Volunteer Fire Company on its visit July 27 to Showboat Casino Hotel in Atlantic City.
The bus will depart at 7 a.m. from the fire hall on Solley Road and return about 7 p.m.
The price is $25, which includes bus transportation, refreshments on the bus and $8 in coins.
Information: Jane Huffman, 410-255-0921.