Vestavia Hills resident named state winner of essay contest

Maren Caponetto, a fifth grade student at Southminster Day School, who resides in Vestavia Hills was recently named the Alabama state winner of the annual American Historical Essay Competition organized by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). 

Her essay was chosen to represent the school and then won at the local DAR Chapter. 

From there, it was submitted with more than 900 other essays for the State and was selected as the winner in the 5th Grade category. 

The topic was the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, to mark the 100th anniversary of the Tomb's dedication to WWI lost soldiers on Veterans Day. Maren and her fifth grade classmates traveled to Washington D.C. in early May on a school trip to tour important landmarks, museums and monuments, including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at The Arlington National Cemetery.