Local Fifth Graders Recognized in County Wide Essay Contest

Two fifth graders from were recognized by the Monmouth County Historical Commission earlier this week after their essays placed first and third in the county-wide essay contest.

“It is a pleasure to salute our young residents who have not only an awareness of history, but the importance it plays in their lives,” said Freeholder Lillian G. Burry, liaison to the Monmouth County Historical Commission. “Monmouth County is rich in history and I am glad to know that our youth are growing up with the desire to visit and to know more about local history.”

The 2012 first-place essay winner was Reece Horneck, of St. Leo the Great School in Lincroft, who wrote about Laird & Company, makers of Applejack, located not far from his home. Below is a passage of Horneck's first place essay.

Applejack is a brandy distilled from apples. At one time it was the nation’s most popular drink. The colonists called it Hedgehog Quills and during prohibition it was called Jersey Lightning.

When President Lyndon B. Johnson met with Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin at the Summit in Glassboro, NJ, he presented the Soviet leader with a case of Laird’s Applejack.

Despite Horneck’s vast knowledge of Applejack, he admits that his parents have not let him have a taste. Horneck’s first place essay earned him a $100 bond as his prize.

The other St. Leo the Great School winner was Jule Gnazzo who placed third in the contest with a compelling personal story, which earned her a $50 bond. The story was about her father, John, who died in the attack on the World Trade Center towers in 2001 when Jule was just 4 and-a-half months old and her brother was 3. Below are passages from Gnazzo's prize winning essay.

He worked on the 101st floor of Tower One doing his job as vice president of the Operations Department at Cantor Fitzgerald. This clear, perfect day suddenly turned into a black cloud of dust. Things changed from then on … buildings can be replaced but not people.

My mother tells me that my dad was a very kind man and dedicated father,” she continued. “I miss him more as I get older. People say you can’t love what you didn’t have, but I do. My mom is raising us as a single mother. She is doing an A-plus job and I feel my father would be proud.

Second place winner in the essay contest was John Matlosz of Holy Innocents School in Neptune. Matlosz wrote about his great-grandparents’ association with General Douglas McArthur, America’s senior military commander in the Far East during World War II.