NEW JERSEY: Prachi Makkar, a 7th Grade student in Springfield, NJ was awarded a third place in the Elks Americanism Annual Student Essay Contest held in Dec 2007. According to American Chairperson Stephanie Poranski, "Prachi's essay will be passed along to be judged at the district level, then on to the state level and finally on the National Level. I congratulate Prachi on her effort to represent patriotism among our youth."

Prachi recited the American National Anthem while playing Indian musical instrument harmonium at the Award ceremony; which was very much appreciated by the audience. Prachi is probably the first Indian American in her age group to be awarded a prize under "Americanism" essay contest in New Jersey. Prachi's essay on the theme 'Who is an American' is reproduced below:

"The word American can be defined in many different ways. An American could be a person whose ancestors came from a different country with a dream or it could be a person that was born right here in America with a dream. The one thing that makes all of these individuals American is that they all have special dreams. Like one person may want to become President and the other may want to become a fighter Pilot. These dreams are called American Dream.

"An American believes in the equality of human kind, the obligation to serve one another, and a true commitment to liberty for fellow Americans and every human being on this earth. These are the values every American of different faith strongly believes in and together we stand as a nation, united under God as United States of America. "Americans are the only one in the world for centuries who have laid their lives to preserve freedom for themselves, fellow Americans and freedom for others throughout the world.

For this sacrifice we have never taken any country's land or made slave to any country whether it was World War I or World War II or the current war of Freedom we are fighting for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan against the Islamic Jihadis who do not understand a sacred religion Islam. "Rather Americans thru their government generously give out to rebuild war-ravaged countries around the world liberated from extremists. American citizens are the biggest charity givers in the world with $135 billion given in 2006 besides $45 billion given by our government in charity around the world purely for humanitarian purposes.

"These are the great American values and our moral heritage, which we all share as Americans of different faiths. Unity in diversity has made America the melting pot of all religions and cultures of the world that is why America is a great country to live on this earth. "Say it with pride, "I am proud to be an American."