“Freedom Means A Lot”

A 7-year-old explains what her winning drawing means

By Mark E. Vogler

SAUGUS – Most of the kids who won weren’t around last Saturday (July 4) when the winners for best essay and best drawing contests were announced at the Saugus 250th Celebration at the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site. But Adrianna Lincoln, a seven-year-old student who just completed the first grade at the Veterans Early Learning Center, was overjoyed when she heard her name called out as the first place winner in the drawing contest, which focused on the theme “What Freedom Means to Me.”

“I didn’t think I was going to win, but I tried,” Adrianna said after receiving her first place award from Gail Cassarino, the outgoing regent of the Parson Roby Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR).

Adrianna’s artwork featured four individual panels in a crayon drawing: a church, a bald eagle, students sitting at their desks and soldiers saluting the American flag. “The American Eagle stands for our country. Our country is really strong because of the soldiers who are saluting the American flag,” she said, explaining how her creation reflects what she believes freedom means.

She noted that Americans are free to worship wherever they want and pointed out that under the freedom Americans enjoy “kids can all be different” – a reference to the drawing of the church and the one of the students sitting at their desks.

Adrianna, who is the daughter of Precinct 9 Town Meeting Member Jaime L. Lincoln, will enter the second grade at Belmonte STEAM Academy when school starts in the fall.

Isabella Miranda won second place among the first graders who competed.

Cassarino also announced winners of the DAR’s “What Freedom Means to Me” essay contest. Millie Dineen, a third grader at Belmonte STEAM Academy, won the first place award. Noelle Cicolini, another third grader, received a second place award in the competition, which included grades 2–3. In the Grades 4-5 competition, Shane McBrine won first place and Renee Mukasa took second place.

First place recipients won gift certificates from Soc’s Ice Cream and Five Below. Runner-ups received gift certificates from Soc’s Ice Cream.