Local students recently returned from the annual Freedoms Foundation Spirit of America Conference at Valley Forge.
Local participants included Cole Stamm of Middlesex High School (MHS), recipient of the Ruby Lee Norris Memorial Scholarship at MHS; Eve Front of Northumberland High School (NHS), who won the award at the conference for kindness and most respectful; Pierce Delacourt of NHS, whose team won the free enterprise competition; and Kelsey Moss of NHS, who served on the affirmation committee.
Students from around the country, including the states of California, Texas, Utah, Florida, Ohio and Nebraska (but was snowed out) were represented, reported Gerry Waring, education co-chairman, Mary Ball Washington Chapter-FFVF.
The four-day conference activities included a Mock Congress, professional re-enactors portraying John and Abigail Adams, the free enterprise competition, touring Valley Forge National Park, as well as Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell in historic Philadelphia.
Mary Ball Washington Chapter sponsored the students, each of whom received a fully-paid scholarship to attend this civics education/history conference, said Clark Waring, Chapter president. C. Waring accompanied the students to Philadelphia by train.
The chapter fundraises throughout the year to raise the scholarship funds and thanks the local service organizations and businesses of Revere Gas, Estate Assurance Systems, Northern Neck Kiwanis, Northumberland-Lancaster Retired Teachers Association and NNBurger for their support, said G. Waring.