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Each year, the Elks host an Americanism essay contest where students can write an essay that answers a chosen topic.
This year’s topic was “What Does Patriotism Mean to Me?” The top three advance to the district competition. Then the top three from the district advance to the state level. Here are this year’s winners.
6th grade Mendota Elks Lodge winners
1st Ally Tillman, Holy Cross
2nd Brooklyn Mauch, Holy Cross
3rd Paul Hochstatter, Holy Cross
Great Northwest District winners
1st Brooklyn Mauch, Holy Cross
2nd Paul Hochstatter, Holy Cross
3rd Ally Tillman, Holy Cross
Mendota Elks 2024-2025 Teen of the Month/Year winners
Each month, the Mendota Elks Lodge selects one male and female senior student who are nominated by the local high schools to be the Teen of the Month. At the end of the year, these schools nominate one male and female for the Mendota Elks Teen of the Year. The lodge winners then compete at the district level, and the winners move to the state level.
September
Dessa Komitas, Mendota Township High School
Nathan Siri, Bureau Valley High School
October
Jillian Anderson, Ohio Community High School
Gavin Pinter, Princeton High School
November
Shelby Bently, Mendota Township High School
Cade Odell, Princeton High School
December
Izabella Birkey, Bureau Valley High School
Landon Hulsing, Bureau Valley High School
January
Aiden Besler, Bureau Valley High School
Samantha Woolley, Princeton High School
February
Elin Workman, Princeton High School
Kaleb Workman, Bureau Valley High School
Mendota Elks Teen of the Year winners
Samantha Woolley, Princeton High School
Nathan Siri, Bureau Valley High School
Great Northwest District Teen of the Year winners
Nathan Siri, Bureau Valley High School
Illinois Elks Teen of the Year winners
1st Place Nathan Siri, Bureau Valley High School