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Local student wins Elks national essay contest

By Jess Mancini 4 min read

A fifth grader from the Veritas Classical Academy in Marietta is the first student from Ohio to place first in the national Elks Americanism Essay Contest.

Maico Swartz, a fifth grader at the academy, got his inspiration from performing the cello for senior residents and how the Elks quietly serve the community for the essay that advanced through district and state levels to the national competition where it won first place. The theme this year was What Does Service to Your Country Mean To You?

Swartz was skeptical after first learning of the accomplishment.

"My first reaction was, 'I thought it was a scam.' But when I found out it was real, I was really excited," he said. "I couldn’t believe I had won first place nationally."

Swartz was honored on Aug. 22 by the Ohio Elks at the Fall Convention in Columbus. He received the award and read the essay aloud to the Elks.

The audience was visibly moved, with some wiping away tears, according to Bruce Haas, Elk and chairman of the Marietta Elks Lodge 477's Americanism Committee.

Swartz's accomplishment, to be the first Ohio student to win, was a wonderful and amazing surprise when no one believed there was a chance a student from a small town would win, Haas said.

"Then all of a sudden Maico wins the national prize," Haas said.

Students in grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 were eligible, he said. On average, the local committee graded around 30 essays from each grade, Haas said.

Swartz is imaginative and inventive, Sarah McKay, his fifth grade teacher, said.

"His classmates flock to him as a leader of imaginative play, creating intricate worlds and characters around which to explore new stories," she said.

First place was and was not a surprise, McKay said.

"It is a surprise that Maico won because a national competition involves so many students, and therefore it's impressive to have the winner be one of our students," McKay said. "It is not a surprise because Maico is an excellent essay writer. He immerses himself in literature and is constantly reading. To Maico, stories have meaning beyond the words on the page and he has developed a talent for getting right to the heart of a story. Because of this, his essay, simple, direct and tender, communicated well the value of everyday service."

Veritas places a high value on language, McKay said.

"From the earliest grades we embrace words, grammar and syntax," McKay said. "We weave literature into every subject and use stories as a means to teach and encourage the development of virtue in our students."

The essay began after an assignment from the teacher, Swartz said.

"Our teacher encouraged all of us to participate in the Elks essay contest and do our best. My mom also encouraged me to work hard on my essay and enter it in the contest. I never expected it would go this far."

The topic, the personal meaning of service to country, made Swartz reflect on himself and about playing the cello at a senior living community.

"My cello teacher gave us the opportunity to perform there, and after we played, she encouraged us to stay and talk with the residents instead of just packing up and leaving," he said. "I could tell that they really enjoyed having us there and talking with them made the experience more meaningful to me.

"That experience helped me understand what I wanted to write about. I realized that serving your country doesn’t always have to mean doing something huge," Swartz, who is thinking about becoming an architect, said. "It can also mean using what you have, even something as simple as playing music or spending time with someone to make a difference in your own community."

In the essay, Swartz writes: "That is when I realized that sometimes service is just making sure someone does not feel forgotten. Staying, listening, and giving them a moment of connection was my way of showing they mattered. It was small but made their day brighter, and it showed me that service often happens quietly, one person at a time."

Swartz is the son of Jenni Zhang and Darren Swartz and the grandson of MaryAnn Swartz and Denny Swartz and Yuyun Zhang and Longhui Zhou.

"I have a younger sister named Elina. I was born in Marietta and my family has deep roots here," Swartz said. "Many of my ancestors on my dad’s side have lived in this area going back to the 1700s. I also have two dogs and a whole bunch of rabbits."

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