Three Students Read Essays at Town’s Memorial Day Ceremony

Three Hendrick Hudson students were selected to read essays as part of the Town of Cortlandt’s Memorial Day Ceremony on May 24, 2024. Fifth-grader Penelope Lopez of Furnace Woods Elementary School and Chukwuebuka Emelumade and Catherine Wright of Hendrick Hudson High School wrote essays that were chosen in the contest.

To enter the Town of Cortlandt’s contest, the students had to be in Grades 5-12, attend a school in the district, and write 200 or fewer words about what Memorial Day means to them.

Ebuka, a sophomore at the high school, wrote about how the national holiday gives Americans an opportunity to honor the sacrifice of those who died serving their country.

“For me, Memorial is a reminder of the profound debt we owe to those brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the freedoms we hold dear,” Ebuka wrote. “It’s a day to reflect on the courage, selflessness, and unwavering dedication displayed by these individuals.”

The three Hendrick Hudson students posed for photos with Town of Cortlandt officials and other citizens who participated in the day’s festivities.