# Rhode Island teen's essay on patriotism reflects small-town values  
**Published:** 2026-05-24T14:18:21.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/24/repub/small-town-life-informs-rhode-island-teens-acclaimed-essay-on-patriotism-and-hope/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/rhode-island-teen-s-essay-on-patriotism-reflects-small-town-values

A [Portsmouth High School junior won the Rhode Island Veterans of Foreign Wars Voice of Democracy audio-essay competition](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/24/repub/small-town-life-informs-rhode-island-teens-acclaimed-essay-on-patriotism-and-hope/) with an essay that draws inspiration from her small town and a Vietnam veteran neighbor.

Marjorie Leary, 17, of Little Compton, Rhode Island, titled her essay "In Order to Form a More Perfect Union," using the preamble to the U.S. Constitution as her framework. She will deliver the essay as keynote speaker at Rhode Island's 52nd annual Memorial Day ceremony Monday at the Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Exeter.

The essay began as a mandatory assignment in Leary's Advanced Placement Language Arts class last October, when students were asked: "How are you showing patriotism and support for your country?" She chose to explore patriotism through her experiences in her quiet, tight-knit community and her observations of a Vietnam veteran neighbor known locally as "Turtle." Since childhood, Leary would wave at him whenever she passed his house, a gesture her mother encouraged.

In her essay, Leary grapples with disillusionment about America's failures—inequality, bigotry, and poverty—while ultimately finding hope in simple human connections and community. "Being a patriot is about defending the fundamental parts of one's country and home that are central to our identity and safety," she said in an interview. "Where our country fails us is the place we should show patriotism the strongest."

Her teacher, Kaylin Johnson, praised Leary's work among the nearly 50 essays submitted from Portsmouth High School students. "It was one of the best I've read in a very long time," Johnson said. "Marjorie is a thinker, and she is a beautiful writer."

Wally Coelho, an Army Vietnam veteran and president of the Bristol Veterans Council, said Leary's essay moved him deeply. "She's hopeful. She used the word hope. To me, that's the key word," he said.

Leary attended the national awards ceremony in Philadelphia in April, where she earned a [$3,000 scholarship from the national VFW](https://www.vfw.org/media-and-events/latest-releases/archives/2026/4/vfw-2026-national-youth-scholarship-winners-announced) along with additional district and state prizes. The [Voice of Democracy program, established in 1947, awards over $2.1 million annually](https://vfw-org-hqagarhxahbybyd9.z01.azurefd.net/-/media/VFWSite/Audio/VOD2026/RhodeIsland.mp3) to high school students nationwide competing on patriotic themes. The national first-place winner receives a $35,000 scholarship.

The Memorial Day ceremony begins at 1 p.m. Monday and will include remarks from Gov. Dan McKee, U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, and other state and federal officials.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/24/repub/small-town-life-informs-rhode-island-teens-acclaimed-essay-on-patriotism-and-hope/)
- [VFW 2026 National Youth Scholarship Winners Announced](https://www.vfw.org/media-and-events/latest-releases/archives/2026/4/vfw-2026-national-youth-scholarship-winners-announced)
- [Voice of Democracy program overview and scholarships](https://vfw-org-hqagarhxahbybyd9.z01.azurefd.net/-/media/VFWSite/Audio/VOD2026/RhodeIsland.mp3)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/24/repub/small-town-life-informs-rhode-island-teens-acclaimed-essay-on-patriotism-and-hope/.