Ried, Edge, Owen ace history contest

Noah Ried, from left, Austin Edge and Kate Owen won top honors in Tennessee Valley Sons of the American Revolution’s poster contest. CONTRIBUTED

MADISON – For the second consecutive year, Columbia Elementary School students aced the top three honors in the Tennessee Valley Sons of the American Revolution’s poster contest.

“This contest helped get the students excited about learning about the American Revolution,” fifth-grade teacher Savannah Demeester said. “It was so exciting to see each student get creative and choose the various events throughout the war.”

Noah Ried claimed first-place honors in the contest. Ried’s immaculate poster on the Boston Massacre included original artwork of the British Redcoats and colonial militia. His parents are Michael and Susan Ried.

Austin Edge earned second place with his poster about the Treaty of Paris. Edge pointed out that the pact also was called the “Peace of Paris.” His parents are Taylor and Mindy Edge.

Kate Owen earned third place in the contest. Owen’s poster discussed both the Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party, with hand-drawn images to support her facts. Her parents are Thomas and Kim Owen.

“I feel that the effort that each student put into their poster helped them gain tremendous knowledge,” Demeester said.

Reid, Edge and Owen were honored at a ceremony on Jan. 11 at the downtown library in Huntsville. Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) members welcomed the Columbia students, school officials and winning families.

SAR member Topper Birney was among the award presenters. “What a success story,” Birney said about the Columbia students.

For the annual contest, SAR selects a subject about the American Revolution. The contest is open to public, private and home-school students in grades 3-5 across the Tennessee Valley.

Last year, the contest paid tribute to George Rogers Clark, a Virginian and top ranking American revolutionary. “The event this year was more broad,” Demeester said. Students explored any event during that war era.

“They were asked to be creative and chose any single or multiple events in the American Revolution,” Demeester said. “All of the artwork had to be original.”