The topic this year was: “I love my country and my Church because . . .”. Each of the three schools that participated selected four of their best essays to represent their school and then a three-member committee from the assembly judged the 12 essays submitted. All the contest winners were selected from St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic School – a first in the history of the contest, and they are: 1st Place – Isabella Calamore ($100), 2nd Place – Ashley Fernando ($75), 3rd Place – Tiffany Nguyen ($50), and 4th Place/ Honorable Mention – Amanda Trinh ($25). All the other students who did not receive a cash award were given a Patriotic Service Award Certificate of Participation. Faithful Navigator Stephen Demeo presented the awards to the students during the St. Thomas the Apostle School’s June 6 graduation ceremony.