Thanksgiving Essays and Contributions

Dear Participant,

Thank you for your wonderful contribution to the Thanksgiving Day Creative Celebration. We received outstanding poems, essays, and artwork that exemplify the creativity of New York State’s young people.

The submissions received are remarkable in what they represent – showing gratitude and respect for family, friends, our troops fighting overseas, and many other important subjects and activities. I am humbled and honored to see such inspiring contributions in response to what is a deceptively difficult question: “What are you thankful for?”

On behalf of the New York State Senate, I would like to offer my wholehearted congratulations to all of the participants in this year’s Thanksgiving Day Creative Celebration.

Sincerely, 

Senator Patty Ritchie

Canton Central JM McKenney Middle School

• Rorie Newman

Carthage Middle School

• Max Belcher
• Courtney Bishop
• Anna Cuomo

Central Square Middle School

• Victoria Ackley
• Claire Ames
• Destinee Balintify
• Zack Barker
• Charles Bernal
• Nathan Bliss
• Claudia Boyko
• Alex Burtis
• Brian Butler
• Sierra Butts
• Mitchell Campbell
• California Cash
• Gabby Demaria
• Tori Deuel
• Zach Dippold
• Jake Douglas
• Sabrina Drake
• Des Eggleston
• Izzy Elieff
• Carrie Evans
• Peter Ferrante
• Allison Forderkonz
• Katie Fredenburg
• Tim Giblin
• Zach Grevelding
• Lexys Harmer
• Nathan Heitmann
• Nick Heitmann
• Connor Hunter
• Jamie Huveldt
• Jamie Huveldt
• Allyson Isereau
• Kaylie Isereau
• Tyler Jessie
• Faith Johnson
• Kaleb Kellogg
• Dylan Keys
• Nathan Lillie
• Jared Lozano
• Alex Malone
• Leann Marlow
• Jack Martin
• Steven Martin
• Kristie McNish
• ben Miller
• Allie Moeller
• Anthony Moses
• Maria Moses
• John Parrotta
• Jasmine Pedro
• Emily Perechov
• Marjana Piano
• Brooke Podejko
• Marcus Post
• Tricia Pugliese
• Alex Quig
• Kevin Radziseski
• Ariana Recuparo
• Michaela Rice
• Destin Ross
• Dillan Sanchez
• Emily Santiago
• Savannah Schmunk
• Krista Schulz
• Georgia Speller
• Dyllan Stadelmann
• Ben Stevens
• Rachael Stringer
• Shane Stropp
• Joshua Sweeting
• Delaney Turtura
• Reyna Valez
• Natalia Varre
• Haylee Wade
• Nina Wagoner
• Hannah Watkins
• Will Weaver
• Skylar Webb
• Jerrett Wells
• Corey Woods
• Alex Wurster

Emerson J Dillon Middle School (Phoenix)

• Kearra Backus
• Sarai Brown
• Tabitha Clark
• Mackenzie Gleason
• Kimber Hendrix
• Summer Koegel
• Brigid Lawless
• Wendy Li
• Marissa Steinbrecher
• Sarah Thorn
• Edward Zellar

General Brown Jr./Sr. High School

• Brendan Eyestone
• Brendan Eyestone

Maroun Elementary

• Renee Acuff

West Side Elementary

• Cameron Denney
• Cameron Denney
• Madison Denoncourt
• Terrell Ferrer
• Damion Hally
• Shyanne Hutton
• James Law
• Elizabeth Pardee
• Donald Reeve
• Shawn Smith
• Remington Storie
• Tia Travis
• Timothy Travis