Mother's Day Essay Winners
A total of 75 area students submitted essays for The Holton Recorder’s 19th annual Mother’s Day youth essay contest. This year’s theme was “Why My Mother Is The Best.”
Students at Jackson Heights, Holton and Royal Valley schools submitted essays, and one essay from each school district was selected as a winner.
Rylan Rodvelt, a sophomore at Jackson Heights High School, took first place in the high school division with his essay about his mother, Brooke.
Kyla Tanking, a fifth-grader at Holton, won the upper elementary school division. Her mother is Corrin.
Cecelia (Miksekwe) Jackson, a third-grader at Royal Valley, was named the lower elementary school winner for her essay about her mother, Nikki.
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Elementary School Winner
By Cecelia (Miksekwe) Jackson
Third-grader at Royal Valley
(Mother: Nikki Jackson)
I love her because she is helpful and nice and also feeds me. I love how she takes me on trips. She helps me get back up when I hurt myself.
She also makes me feel better when I feel sad. She has a nice heart and life, and she reminds me to feed the dog. Also, she got me ice cream and toppings for the ice cream. She also lets me help her in her garden. She also lets me have some of her pop, and she also loves me as much as I love her.
She also cooks for me when I’m sick, and she cares for me. She also gets me what I need and what I want. She gets me food when I'm hungry. She cooks for me and lets me help her make cakes and pasta and lots of things so I’m happy to have a mother like that.
She cares for my cousins and my friends and sometimes gets me some breakfast in the morning when it's the weekend and sometimes lets me sleep all day on the weekend.
She lets me play music in the car. She also lets me celebrate holidays. She also gave me a lot of presents. And she gave me an iPad so she is the mom that I love so much.
She takes me to school almost every day and wakes me up. She takes me to fun places. She does my hair in the morning. She takes me to both of my sisters’ houses, and she plays games with me. She never lies, and she’s fun and nice.
Elementary School Winner
By Kyla Tanking
Fifth-grade at Holton
(Mother: Corrin Tanking)
My mom tells me, “Whatever I’m doing, I’ll always think of you.” Whenever she tells me that, I feel like all my stress and worry melt away. Kinda like a popsicle you’re eating outside in hot weather.
My mom is the best listener. I know I can tell her anything on my mind. She doesn’t just tell me, “Well, tomorrow will be different.” or “Oh, you don’t need to be upset about that.” Instead, she gives me ideas on how to get those icky feelings out.
My favorite one is screaming in a pillow. Sometimes we even go on a walk and talk about it. She tells me, “Any stress you have, give it to me.”
A fun memory I have with my mom is when we went to this cool place called “The Alley” with my brothers. There was an arcade, bowling alley and laser tag. I do remember the place smelled like popcorn, but when we went to order food, popcorn wasn’t even on the menu. I did get some tasty fries though, so I guess you win some, you lose some.
Also, when we went to the arcade area, I had won the least amount of tickets so my mom gave me the tickets she won. I just love how sweet she is.
If I could, I would talk about my mom even more, but it would take forever because she is just that incredible. I love my mom to pieces! I wouldn’t want any other mom. You couldn’t pay me millions of dollars to trade my mom. I would never even think of accepting it.
If you are reading this mom, just know that you are very special to me and I appreciate everything you do for me.
High School Winner
By Rylan Rodvelt
Sophomore at Jackson Heights (Mother: Brooke Rodvelt)
Brooke Rodvelt is her name. She is the woman who used nine months of her life to give birth to me. She is the woman who took the time to raise me right. My mom used the past 15 years of her life to build my brother and me.
At age 22, she had me. She was a very young mother. Brooke had no kids before me. This was all completely new to her, and it was a journey.
A small white house in Holton, Kan., a small but growing city. I, Rylan, was one when I lived in this house. My mother and father were together, figuring out the world. This was a short but significant part of my life. It was the beginning.
Then, when my brother was born, we moved to a brown house, slightly larger and just big enough for two adults and two kids. It was placed right next to the (now) Holton Elementary school, which at the time was a public park.
Next, we moved to a medium-sized house on the northwest side of Holton. My parents got divorced in this house. I don’t blame any of them. I love them both. My dad kept the house, and my mom moved in with one of her best friends.
Brooke made the best of what we had. She has found a way for anything, even when times seemed impossible. We moved a few other times, eventually landing on a house near the Square.
Brooke works two jobs just to provide for us. She spends most of her time at the salon on the Square with Julie and is also a waitress at Boomers’.
My mom has done an amazing job of making this place a home. She has spent the last five years planting beautiful flowers, remodeling our house and providing for her family.
She has a boyfriend named Bobby, and he plays a phenomenal role of being stepdad. My life and my brother’s life wouldn’t be the same without either of them.
Brooke, as in a small creek, I think of it as a clean and unpolluted stream with a bodacious and lush riverbank - thriving with life, a symbol of peace and prosperity. Taking care of nature’s critters by providing for them. Without it, there would be no life. It would be a dry, soulless place void of joy. With it, the ecosystem keeps turning and is pure. This describes my mom perfectly, showing how, without her, my brother and I would not exist.
My mom has done so much for me that a one-million-word list could not come close to what she has done. Every little thing that might seem insignificant has had a huge impact on who I am today.
Thank you, Grandma Peggy, for giving life to my mother, whom you raised so well. Your love shows through her.
Mom, I thank you for everything you have done for our family, and no matter what, I will always love you.
Love,
Ry
