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Ohio State Winner

L. Michael Smith
Columbus, OH
Home School
11th Grade

Freedom! Responsibility! Love of Country! These American fundamentals have been taken to the ultimate, sometimes even to death, by men and women who became greatly recognized for doing so. Less known, however, are those who live ordinary lives and still personify these ideals. I would like to take a look at these everyday people.

For the average American, subtle acts of patriotism are practiced daily. One may murmur "God bless America," another may fly the Flag from a car window, or wear red-white-and-blue on a special holiday. When you consider these small gestures of loyalty and multiply them by 250 million Americans, you begin to see the abundance of patriotism that radiates from our land! This is the spirit of the backbone of America and is what keeps our country strong and vibrant. These are the actions of the everyday American -- the everyday American that has supported and encouraged our heroes throughout the years.

I recently attended a high school ball game, and was amazed at the number of teens who, without hesitation, were not embarrassed to take off their hats and put their hand over their hearts during our National Anthem. I even heard some around me singing the anthem softly to themselves. This was more than just a subtle act of patriotism, for this tells us that there is light for the future and that today's young people still love America.

Etched in my mind is my family's traditional patriotic practice of raising the Flag on Labor Day and many days thereafter. No horns blow, no welcoming party arrives, and to many people it goes unnoticed, but as my family and I stand in the front yard in the cool September breeze and recite the Pledge of Allegiance, I feel something deep inside that strengthens my American loyalty. In those few moments, I feel connected to something greater than myself. The stories of such people as Thomas Paine, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King, Jr. flash across my mind and I have a deep sense of being uniquely American.

As we walk inside and feel the autumn leaves of amber and orange crunch beneath our feet, we enter our house to an aroma of something distinctly American: apple pie baking in the oven. Is apple pie really so American? Or is it part of my American childhood that has instilled that thought in me? Maybe apple pie isn't so American to some people, maybe for some people it's peach cobbler or something far from food. But the point is, our freedom allows us to instill such customs that may differ from household to household. These customs and traditions, these acts of patriotism that have been passed down through the generations, which flow through our families -- the families of the average American -- keep America alive and well!

As the sun sets, I look out my window to see The Red-White-and-Blue streaked across the sky and hear its colors flap in the wind. The feeling that overcomes my senses at this sight is what it truly means to be an American.