Saint Peter Public Schools

Congratulations to Saint Peter Middle School fifth grader Azrii Alas for winning several awards recently through the Elks USA Minnesota State Americanism Essay Contest. For her efforts, Alas was presented with a plaque, gift card from Mankato Elks Lodge #225, $50 for winning the District contest, and $300 for winning the state contest.

Alas, along with her mother, Angela Gonzalez, received her awards at a banquet on Tuesday, May 7 at the Wow Zone in Mankato. All recipients read their essays for the audience. Azrii stated, “Everyone was very proud and generous and there were a lot of old people in the crowd. They were so cute.”

According to her SPMS social studies teacher Cari Panitzke, she presented the info about the Mankato Elks Lodge’s Americanism Essay Contest to her students back in October and Alas entered the contest by the December 15, 2023 deadline.

“About five or six of my fifth graders wrote an essay on ‘What the Bill of Rights Means to Me’, for class,” Panitzke said. “Azrii wrote hers and entered the contest all on her own. Many high schoolers have trouble addressing an envelope but she did this all on her own, along with writing and typing her well-written essay. Way to go, Azrii!”

“We just heard that she was selected for local and state level as the winner and she was the first one to be picked from Mankato Elk Lodge to be sent to Nationals, so what an honor!”

Alas will learn more details about the national competition sometime this summer, according to Panitzke.

Below is a copy of Alas's award-winning essay along with a shot of the plaque she received for her efforts.