The Fort Bend County Historical Commission recently announced the winners of its annual essay contest for 4th and 7th grade students who either reside in or go to schools in Fort Bend County.
In past years the essay contest has centered on themes about the history of Fort Bend County in particular, and Texas in general. However, since 2026 will mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America, the Commission decided to broaden the themes to be explored by the students this year to include comparisons between elements of both Texas and U.S, history.
The theme of the 4th grade contest this year was “Symbols of Freedom.” Students were asked to compare and contrast the history and meaning behind either the flags, anthems, or pledges of allegiance of the United States and Texas. After choosing which symbol they wanted to investigate, the students prepared essays about when and how the symbol was created and adopted, the meaning behind the symbol or its individual elements, and the extent to which it may have changed over time…