The City of Carmel honored veterans on Thursday at the annual Veterans Day Ceremony in The Tarkington Theater at The Center for the Performing Arts.
City Council President Jeff Worrell served as master of ceremonies. The keynote speaker was Retired Brigadier General, James Bauerle, U.S. Army. Other participants included in the ceremony were Carmel American Legion Post 155, Carmel VFW Post 10003, Actors Theatre of Indiana, the Carmel Elementary School Choir, Claire Baney, and Cindy Ensign Baney.
The winners of the Veterans Day poster and essay contests were recognized during the ceremony. Students from local elementary schools took part in the poster contest, while middle school students participated in the essay contest. This year’s theme was “United We Stand.”
Carmel Arts Council board members determined the poster contest finalists based on three categories: best representation of the theme, focus on veterans, and creativity. One winner was selected from each participating school by grade level. One city-wide winner in each grade was also chosen from all the entries. Each poster was displayed and the winning student received a certificate of achievement. The honorable mention posters can be viewed at the Monon Community Center on the second floor’s main hallway through the rest of today, Nov. 10.
The winners of the poster contest are as follows:
- Kindergarten: Lillian Cain, Towne Meadow Elementary
- 1st Grade: Emily Gilmore, Woodbrook Elementary
- 2nd Grade: Evelyn Cripe, Woodbrook Elementary
- 3rd Grade: Ethan Davis, Towne Meadow Elementary
- 4th Grade: Advit Parihar, Towne Meadow Elementary
- 5th Grade: Luna Qu, Towne Meadow Elementary
The panel of judges from veterans’ organizations chose the winning essays based on best representation of the theme, focus on veterans, strength of message and proper use of grammar.
The winners of the essay contest are as follows:
- 6th Grade: Maya Donnely, Creekside Middle School
- 7th Grade: Karis Lin, Clay Middle School
- 8th Grade: Sophie Frey, Carmel Middle School
Poster contest winners in Kindergarten through fifth grade received $50 each and essay contest winners in sixth through eighth grades received $100 each, courtesy of Indiana Members Credit Union. A list of the Carmel Veterans Day winning essays and posters, as well as images of the posters, can be found at CarmelVeteransDay.org.
Each veteran in attendance received a small gift, courtesy of American Structurepoint and L&S Optical.