Emma Kreeger is the daughter of Chad and Cathy Kreeger; she is a freshman at Wagner Community School. Emma won the local Wagner American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) essay contest and then her essay competed at the district competition, where she also won first place. Emma’s essay will now be competing at the State ALA Essay Contest where the state winner will be announced in June. This year’s title/theme for the contest is “What does Freedom Mean to Me?” Here is Emma’s essay: To me, freedom is more than just a word in the English dictionary. Freedom is the right to act, speak, and think on your own good-will. In the United States, I feel a lot of people take our freedom for granted. There are still many places around the world who do not have the luxury of experiencing freedom. In the United States, we have human rights that include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of religion and expression, the right to work and educate, and must more. Why should we take these freedoms for granted when many others could only fathom the freedoms we have?

The freedoms that we are blessed with came at a great cost. The wars, Civil Rights movements, and women fighting for their rights have all been major factors in gaining freedom from all of us. During these events, many people have put themselves on the line and sacrificed for all of us today. All the soldiers who did not get to come home to their families put their lives on the line just so the future generations wouldn’t have to suffer. As a country we had to fight for our independence from Britain, and then had to go on and fight for everyone to have the rights we now experience. They paid the price for us and still many people are taking that for granted.

Many women also fought for the rights that I get to experience. All of the women who fought for women’s rights were putting themselves out there so all of the women in future generations could benefit from the battles they were fighting. For example, Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone, and Ida B. Wells all put themselves out there and spoke up about how women should have the right to vote. Today, women have the right to vote, when we are of age, all thanks to the women who spoke up for us. This I will never take this for granted because these women did not get the luxury of getting to vote and give their opinion on the events happening in the country.

Even though we get to experience all these freedoms that we have today, many people don’t get to. People all over America don’t understand how much blood, sweat and tears went into gaining these freedoms so, they still take them for granted. As an individual who didn’t have to be there to fight for these rights. I will never understand what they went through, but I will never take them for granted. This is what freedom means to me, and how I believe that it is more than just a word in the English dictionary. Freedom to me means that I can enjoy and do anything that I put my mind to, thanks to the brave people who fought for the freedom that I get to cash in.

Congratulations, Emma, on winning both the local and district essay competition. Best of luck at the state competition!