Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • February 27, 2013 Ho-Ho-Kus Tsai represents State VFW in national competition by Jennifer Crusco Victoria Tsai of Ho-Ho-Kus recently represented the State of New Jersey Veterans of Foreign Wars at the Patriot’s Pen National Essay Competition, where she placed 16th out of 54 entrants. “We are very pleased at the outcome,” said Commander Stanley A. Kober of Washington Elm VFW Post 192 (Ridgewood-Ho-Ho-Kus). Kober reported that Tsai, a student at the Ho-Ho-Kus Public School, was one of only two sixth graders who were invited to compete at the national level. Kober said Tsai has received a total of $1,200 in prize winnings throughout the course of the contest, which is sponsored by the VFW and its Ladies Auxiliary. “We’re very proud of her,” Ho-Ho-Kus Superintendent Deborah Ferrara said of Tsai. “I think she’s a very talented and gifted young writer and will suggest that she consider writing as a career.” Post 192 selected 14 essays submitted by local students, including Tsai, to be forwarded to the Bergen County-level contest (VFW District Two). Tsai won the county competition and was chosen to represent the district in the state contest. “Tsai is the third recipient in the last four years who has come from VFW District Two (Bergen County) to become NJ VFW State Commander Warren George, District 2 Ladies Auxiliary President Lauren Thomson, Victoria Tsai, and VFW Post 192 Commander Stanley Kober holding the temporary plaque. Victoria Tsai with NJ VFW State Commander Warren George and the NJ Ladies Auxiliary President Kathy Marshall at the state ceremony. the first place awardee at the state level,” Kober said. He added that VFW Post 192 previously sponsored the NJ VFW State’s first place winner, Ridgewood High School teacher John Domville, who received the Outstanding Citizenship Education Teacher Award in 2009-10 and represented the NJ State VFW at the national competition. At a ceremony held in Ho-Ho-Kus last month, Post 192 presented Tsai with a check for $100 and certificates from Post 192 and Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan, who attended the event in person. Tsai also received a booklet of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, a copy of George Washington’s “Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior,” and a pamphlet that describes the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans’ Day. At the state ceremony held Feb. 16 at Manville VFW Post 2290, Tsai received a check for $500, a plaque, and a glass obelisk from the NJ VFW State Commander Warren George and the NJ Ladies Auxiliary President Kathy Marshall. The Ho-Ho-Kus Public School will receive a plaque to be retained for one year, and then replaced with a permanent plaque in 2014. Tsai was one of over 126,000 students who participated in the Patriot’s Pen program. This year, students in grades six through eight wrote 300-400 word essays on “What I Would Tell America’s Founding Fathers.” This annual contest is endorsed by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.