Essays about tea party protests in the 1770s written by two Saint Joseph School students were among three chosen from local submissions as tops in the state in an American history contest.

Writings from sixth-grader Jacob Severance and seventh-grader Jimena Olivera about why they would have participated in a tea party protest in the 1770s took top honors in the West Virginia State Society Daughters of the American Revolution contest after also placing first in the competition sponsored by the Pack Horse Ford Chapter of the DAR. Also winning at the state level was the essay written by Mill Creek Intermediate fifth-grader Emily Hendrix.

An announcement about the state wins was made during a ceremony and reception honoring contest winners on March 8 at the Shepherdstown train station. 

In the local contest, a total of 124 students in grades five through eight from three schools described what they imagined their lives would have been like if they were colonists who were bold enough to step into the fray to act out against British taxes and laws. 

“I love to see their creativity and their stories,” Susan Benson, chairwoman of the American history essay contest for Pack Horse Ford Chapter, said to the group of students, their family members, teachers and other DAR members who attended the Shepherdstown celebration. “I think we have some historical fiction writers among us.” 

Placing in the chapter contest from SJS, a private Catholic school in Martinsburg, were:

  • Sixth grade: Jacob Severance, first place; Rhea Rawat, second; and Elizabeth McMillan, third
  • Seventh grade: Olvera, first place; Ethan Severance, second; and Maya Nguyen, third
  • Eighth grade: Camille Frail, second place; and Daphne Sama, third

Mill Creek Intermediate fifth-graders Hendrix, Gwyneth Switzer and Marissa Ickes took first, second and third places, respectively, in the contest. Eighth-grader Macie White from Faith Christian Academy took first place in her age group. 

The students who placed first in the Pack Horse Ford contest and were able to attend the March 8 celebration read their essays to the audience. 

Olvera wrote as if she was a young woman participating in a protest in Edenton, N.C., after growing tired of being pushed to the side in matters of governance and taxation. 

“It wasn’t just about tea … it was about our rights,” Olvera read from her essay. She described how “electrifying” conversations that led to the protest in Edenton opened her eyes. 

“I was struck by the realization of how powerful we could be,” she shared. 

Hendrix wrote from the perspective of a young woman protesting in Wilmington, N.C., who believed that it’s important to stand up for what’s right, even if you stand alone. White’s essay detailed the experiences of her fictional character in Edenton who dared to submit an anonymous poem to a newspaper expressing her anger about what she considered to be unfair taxation. 

Those who won first place at the chapter level were given $50, a bronze medal, certificate and entry into the state contest. Those in second received $25 and a certificate, while third-place finishers were awarded $20 and a certificate.

Jacob Severance, Olvera and Hendrix were invited to attend the West Virginia State DAR Conference being held April 11 to 13 in Bridgeport, W.Va., for winning at the state level. Their essays are now being judged in the East Central Division, which encompasses Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia.