Oakland County Circuit Judge Michael Warren, Co-Founder of Patriot Week, and Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson presented high school senior Lindsey Pieper with her first prize award for this summer’s patriotic essay contest.
Pieper, 18, attends Marian High School in Bloomfield Hills. She is the daughter of Dr. Dan Pieper and Donna Pieper of Bloomfield Hills.
The essay contest, sponsored by the Michigan Secretary of State’s office to help celebrate Patriot Week, asked students in grades 6-12 to answer this question in 400 words or less: “How does a citizen’s right to vote help make America the greatest country in the world?”
Pieper, whose essay was titled, “A Vote is a Voice, Speak Out,” wrote: “Voting is such an amazing opportunity because it allows each and every citizen an equal say.” As the first prize winner, she received an American flag flown over the state Capitol on the anniversary of September 11 as well as a special plaque.
Warren co-founded Patriot Week in 2009 with his daughter, Leah, now age 13. It was created to celebrate America’s core principles and history in a meaningful way. It is anchored by two key dates, September 11, the anniversary of the terrorist attacks and September 17, the anniversary of the signing of the Constitution.
For more information about Patriot Week, visit www.patriotweek.org.
About Tom and Ann Gendich