Thousands of essays were written by students from the 47 metro area schools that are hosting Congressional Medal of Honor recipients on Sept. 18. A winner was selected from the high school level and middle school level. Both winners are from Cherry Creek School District.

Kevin Noto, an eighth-grader at The Challenge School, won the essay contest for the middle school level. In his essay he highlighted individual honorees, such as Carlton Barret, a young private during the D-Day landings in France. Private Barret repeatedly reentered the water to help pull drowning comrades to safety, all while Germansoldiers were firing machine guns at him.

Cherokee Trail High School sophomore Christopher Buccieri wrote the winning high school essay.

The contest was held in conjunction with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s Annual Convention, "A Celebration of Valor," being held in Denver Sept. 16-20. On Sept. 18, as part of the convention, ten Medal of Honor recipients will be recognized by Cherry Creek School District students, staff and community members during assemblies at the district’s middle and high schools.

As essay contest winners, both Buccieri and Noto will attend the Patriot Awards Gala on Sept. 19. The gala is the culminating event of the week-long convention that pays tribute to Medal of Honor recipients. In addition, copies of the students’ essays will be placed in each Medal of Honor recipient’s hotel room upon their arrival.

Read Kevin Noto’s Essay

Read Christopher Buccieri’s Essay