- Kerry Larkin, a 7th grade student at the Gibbons Middle School, recently won first place in a contest sponsored by the Massachusetts Daughters of the American Revolution for her essay on Paul Revere.
Westborough – Like many students before her, Kerry Larkin, a seventh-grade student at Gibbons Middle School, was somewhat familiar with the classic
poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.” But now, thanks to her first-place essay in a contest sponsored by the Massachusetts Daughters of American Revolution (DAR), Kerry herself could be considered an expert of sorts on the famous 18th-century patriot.
Kerry's work, titled “Memoirs of Paul Revere,” was an optional project assigned by her English teacher, Santina Carr.
“I didn's know a lot about [Revere] to begin with so I went online to find out more,” Kerry said. “I enjoyed learning more about him.”
The result was a well-written account of Revere's life that outlines much more than just that historic ride. Kerry's essay earned her top honors in the contest sponsored by the Worcester chapter of the DAR before she went on to win the state competition.
“I was surprised when I won,” she said. There may be more surprises in store
for the budding historian – her essay will next be entered into the DAR's national competition.
But first she will be a featured guest reader at a DAR gathering in Cambridge Feb. 20.
“This is so exciting. We are very proud of her,” said her mother, Janet.
Carr agreed with that sentiment, adding, “As exciting as this is, Kerry is a very talented writer, so I's not surprised. I am thrilled for her.”
