The 16th Annual Bemidji Area Friends of Concordia Language Villages' Essay Contest winners were honored in an awards ceremony at Waldsee, the German Language Village, on Sunday, March 17. During the ceremony 10 one-week scholarships were awarded to local fourth- and fifth-grade students. It was attended by over 60 people, including the winners, their families, friends, donors, volunteers to the program and staff of Concordia Language Villages, a release said.
The winning essay writers receiving scholarships for the summer of 2019 are: Peter Carlson, fifth grade, Schoolcraft Learning Community, attending the Norwegian Language Village; Makayla DeJager, fourth grade, Gene Dillon Elementary School, attending the Spanish Language Village; Kennedy Frenzel, fourth grade, Gene Dillon Elementary School, attending the German Language Village; Brynn Klaers, fourth grade, Gene Dillon Elementary School, attending the German Language Village; Quinn Niemi, fourth grade, Gene Dillon Elementary School, attending the Finnish Language Village; Olivia Reyes, fourth grade, Gene Dillon Elementary School, attending the Spanish Language Village; Aria Robertson, fourth grade, Gene Dillon Elementary School, attending the Swedish Language Village; Wyatt Schackman, fourth grade, Northome Elementary School, attending the German Language Village; Casey Sisneros, fourth grade, Gene Dillon Elementary School, attending the Spanish Language Village; Ella Yoder, fifth grade, Gene Dillon Elementary School, attending the German Language Village.
The funding for the scholarships came from a number of local sponsors including Paul Bunyan Telephone Cooperative, First National Bank Bemidji, Bemidji Noon Rotary Club, Super 8 Hotel, the North Country Snowmobile Club, Wayne Dondelinger, Naylor Heating and Refrigeration, Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Bemidji, Big River Scoop, Cal and Pat Rice, an IBM match and numerous individual donors.
Each of the students wrote a 100-150 word essay on the topic "The ways that I could learn and grow from the study of the (whichever language they chose) at Concordia Language Villages." Some just want to learn the language and others want to experience the culture and food of a different country or the country of their ancestors, the release said. The annual essay contest solicits essays from many area schools as well as from homeschool students.
