Concordia Language Villages Essay Contest winners announced

The awards ceremony for the winners of the 20th annual Bemidji Area fourth- and fifth-grade essay contest was held April 7.

Winners recognized were:

• Cora Bergey, fourth-grade, Gene Dillon Elementary, will attend Waldsee, the German Language Village

• Simone Cirks, fourth-grade, Gene Dillon Elementary, will attend Waldsee, the German Language Village

• Braelyn Holmgren, fourth-grade, Gene Dillon Elementary, will attend Sjölunden, the Swedish Language Village

• Tuesday Johnson, fourth-grade, Gene Dillon Elementary, will attend Waldsee, the German Language Village

• Kate Kado, fifth-grade, St Philips Catholic School, will attend El Lago del Bosque, the Spanish Language Villages

• Neahriah Mbo, fourth-grade, St Marks Lutheran School, will attend Lac du Bois, the French Language Village

• Addison Michaels, fourth-grade, Gene Dillon Elementary, will attend Waldsee, the German Language Village

• Lydia Nichols, Japanese, fourth-grade, Schoolcraft Learning Community, will attend Mori no Ike, the Japanese Language Village

• Jedrek Pula, Norwegian, fifth-grade, Kelliher Elementary, will attend Skogfjorden, the Norwegian Language Village

• Rava “Pixie’ Thorsgard, Norwegian, fifth-grade, St. Philips Catholic School, will attend Skogfjorden, the Norwegian Language Village

• Elaine Townsdin, fourth-grade, Laporte Elementary, will attend Lac du Bois, the French Language Village

The Bemidji Area Friends of Concordia Language Villages is a group formed in 2004 in an effort to enable more area students to experience a week of language and culture at Concordia Language Villages. Since its inception the group has awarded 187 one-week sessions to area fourth- and fifth-grade students.

Area schools were visited by Concordia Language Villages’ staff in late January where short high-energy language activities were presented to the classes. Students were invited to submit essays on the topic “How I could learn and grow from the study of language at Concordia Language Villages.” The Bemidji Area Volunteers of Concordia Language Villages read the submitted essays and chose 11 winners who each won a week at the language village of their choice.

Funding for the scholarships is made possible through an annual banquet held each fall and generous donations from area businesses including Paul Bunyan Communications, Beltrami Electric, First National Bank of Bemidji, Bemidji Rotary, Naylor Heating and Refrigeration, Forest Edge Winery, Super 8 by Wyndham Bemidji, Zetah Construction. Other significant personal donations were received from Margaret Maus, Vicki and Steve Ross-Rhodes, and Cal and Pat Rice.