Fourth grader wins first in state - 5/10/2006
Katie Zakrzewski, a fourth grade student at Warm Springs Intermediate School, won a first place award for her Division 1 Political Science Social Studies project at the State Competition in the Charleston Civic Center on May 5. She chose her project platform as, should the clause "One Nation Under God" be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance?" She surveyed over 200 Morgan county WV students, grades 3-12, and found the results overwhelmingly positive to leave the pledge as is.
Zakrzewski says, “All of this research has made it perfectly clear to me that the majority of Americans want the Pledge of Allegiance to remain untouched."
Also "The majority, (around 80%) of Americans believe in some type of God. The majority of my peers want the pledge to remain as is. I can now honestly say that I believe that the voluntary recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance is a patriotic exercise, not a religious exercise, and I want it to remain AS IS," she said.
She attributes her success to her Berkeley Springs family and friends’ work and support, her teacher Kim Barlow, the county director Lynn Keenan, her Pastor Mike Bennett of the Union Chapel UMC, and specifically to the Morgan County Arts Council for the opportunity to participate on stage, and work on public speaking.
Zakrzewski plans to rally Americans to support the Pledge of Allegiance as is.
(We stayed at the Embassy Suites, and when we were getting ready to leave Friday morning, to go set up her project, Katie was lucky enough to see the United States Marine Corp Vets performing a Flag Raising Ceremony !
She is pictured with Marine Sergeant Hershel Woodrow Williams, of West Virginia, who earned the right to wear the cherished Congressional Medal of Honor--the highest award bestowed for gallantry in actual combat with a national enemy-- She was so honored, and how appropriate condsidering her project title. She discussed her project results with him, and he told her to keep fighting for her cause!!!)
