This week, The Newtown Bee is proud to begin showcasing the creative talents of local high school and middle school age students who were ranked as finalists in our “Why I LOVE Newtown” Essay Project.

To briefly recap, this project was suggested by a Newtown resident who was inspired by a Newtown Bee “Letter Hive” submission. The individual approached the newspaper proposing a project to involve local young people who would simply be asked to explain in 500 words or less the reasons why they love their community.

That individual also pledged a donation of $1,000 as a means to acknowledge some of the top-ranked essays — and also volunteered along with First Selectman Dan Rosenthal and Bee Editor John Voket to help review and rank those essays.

Upon seeking to expand the award, a second resident agreed to step up and match the original donor. Thanks to their generosity, each of the two top-ranked essay contributors will receive $500; each of first runners-up will receive $300; and each second runner-up will receive $200.

Check presentations and photo opportunities with finalists and the first selectman will be arranged in the coming weeks — and all remaining three dozen essays will be published in the newspaper for readers to enjoy.

Today, the community is invited to begin enjoying the top-ranked contributions starting with our two top-ranked finalists:

Kaelin Rising, 18 — Newtown High School

For some people it may take an entire lifetime to feel that they have found true beauty. Beauty in their lives, in themselves, in the world around them. Others are lucky, they find it around every corner, seeping through the walls of their very home.

This is how I feel about the sunrise beaming through the very cracks of my window.

Occasionally I’ll wake up early on a crisp weekend morning just to put on boots and hike down my backyard. I’ll watch the orange glow on the treetops. Some afternoons during summer weeks I let my dogs in the back of my car and drive down the back roads of Newtown and take them to Upper Paugussett, taking hikes up and down trails I have traversed since childhood. Their fresh pawprints remind me of those my childhood dogs had left behind on the same trails.

As I have gotten older, exposure to more and more trails around town has continued to fuel my adventurous mind. My brother would mountain bike and then take me hiking on the same paths. My friend’s high school graduation party was held at a local park 10 minutes from my house that I had never been to. I discover hidden local gems with every neighbor’s dog I walk. You could go to any park in any town and take a hike, but there is something so special about being in your hometown and trotting down a path you somehow have never stumbled upon, a breath of fresh air in the 57 miles of Newtown.

A quick note on small towns and the people within them. This may just be the most beautiful part of Newtown. The people within it are something else, there are more kind souls per capita than any other place. Sure, there are outliers, we are only human, but I have seen firsthand the types of wonderful people that emerge from the small crowd of this place. Nowhere I have been can compare to the warmth and encouragement I have felt from long-time Newtown residents, so called “townies”.

There is just something the air does to you after time, people just exude kindness here in a bigger way than anywhere else. There is so much community involvement wherever you go; food and clothing drives at the high school, protest walks and parades in the town center, the farmers market, the Arts Festival, the list could go on and on. A town that thrives on supporting each other and uplifting one another is true beauty, surrounded by the physical beauty of this place we live just makes it even more special. How incredibly lucky we are to live here, a place of beauty and hope, somewhere to be inspired and to inspire.

That is where I found beauty.

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Abbie Habboush, 12 — Newtown Middle School

Always Newtown

It is always Newtown

I look out my window

And all I see is home

It is always Newtown

It is always Newtown

I get asked a question

What’s your favorite town?

It is always Newtown

The kind friends and neighbors

Greet you a good morning

And that very green grass

Swaying in the warm breeze

Filled with spirit and love

We cheer on blue and gold

And congratulate friends

On a job well done

That American flag

In the middle of town

Waving in the light breeze

Reminds me of freedom

The tasty restaurants

So many to choose from

The options of food are

Awesome and delicious

Ferris Acres, my favorite

Place for a cold, sweet treat

Their flavorful ice cream

No others can compare

The C.H. Booth Library

Is in walking distance

From school and is the best

Place to go and relax

The Saint Rose Carnival

Comes around every year

With lots of excitement

And fun for everyone

The seasons all different

From Summer to Winter

Skating at Ram’s Pasture

And swimming at the Cove

Be kind is what we say

We try to live by it

We’re stronger together

And we’ll keep it that way

It is always Newtown

I look out my window

And all I see is home

Forever my Newtown

What I am trying to say throughout this poem is that Newtown has so many unique things that I love about it and can’t find anywhere else. It’s only in Newtown. It is always Newtown.

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The following essays were ranked first runners-up in the high school and middle school classes:

Isabel Khazadian, 17 — Newtown High School

I do not like the saying “I love Newtown” because “I” is singular. Instead, it should be “We love Newtown.” Newtown is where every person is considered a member of the Newtown family, our family. Those who live in Newtown know this because we are a community filled with individuals who love each other and stick together.

Home is the place where one feels the most at ease and happy. I love my home because I am constantly surrounded by love and encouragement from all those around me. In the 17 years I have lived in this extraordinary town, I have witnessed the love shared between every community member. As a town, we are devoted to being there for every resident in Newtown because we are a family that has vividly portrayed true friendship and kindness. We love Newtown.

When someone asks me where I am from, I do not hesitate to say Newtown because I am proud to live here. I am proud to be a part of such an amazing neighborhood that represents togetherness and what it means to be a community. We love Newtown.

Although I am against the saying “I love Newtown,” I have some mentionable reasons why I love Newtown as an individual. However, I think many will agree:

1. I love how we gather together to support the various sports teams representing us. The cheering from supporting fans can be heard across town from the Blue and Gold Stadium on a windy autumn Friday night.

2. I love how on a hot summer day, members of our community gather together at Ferris Acres Creamery and can be seen lining the fence with a scoop of ice cream, chatting with fellow Newtowners.

3. I love how as a town, we hold many events where the whole town gathers together and lives in the moment, whether it be at the Saint Rose Carnival, the tree lightings, the Duck Race, or the Labor Day Parade.

So, I do love Newtown singularly. I love Newtown because I know I will always be welcomed, loved, and shown compassion. No matter how far I go or where I am, I will always be a part of the Newtown family. The “Newtown Family” was made by the people of Newtown, and it is thriving today because of the effort each member puts into keeping the community a symbol of kindness.

We are Newtown.

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Hayden Hughes, 13 — home schooled

Newtown Memories: My Town That I Love

Chugging up Church Hill, passing the clock and crimson building,

a golden bee rotates atop its spindle, keeping watch on the news below.

Above, on historic Main Street, our flag, centered with pride,

since the street was wide enough for carriages leaving hoofprints in their wake.

Cooking with coals in the Curtiss fireplace, faces aglow;

Tightening the bedropes, basket weaving, playing marbles,

examining letters stealthily etched on the window

by a hand, young and bold, now hundreds of years old.

Line of children, hornbooks in hand, bonnets and tricorn caps;

The sight stops traffic, heading to Meeting House splitting West.

We follow amiable ladies laden with petticoats, too many for summer,

and rosy cheeked gentlemen, chuckling in breeches and vests.

Rooster that withstood French target practice in 1781, peers North.

Edmond Town Hall in our sights, Mary Hawley’s cornerstone holding firm.

“It’s free today,” says a friendly face behind the brass bars at the ticket booth.

Only in Newtown. My anticipation swirls like the colorful lights on the ceiling.

Toe taps my name on a brick, as I skip past lilies towards the library door.

Sometimes I search longer, still finding it in the same place.

Entering the historic splendor of this gift to our town, greeted by the dollhouse

and by librarians with gentle yet ecstatic smiles, remembering me at every age.

Farmer’s Market, sweltering heat floating, intensifying the scents

of fresh food, wafting succulent aromas; dashing between each booth’s shade.

Our bag fills with the market’s fruits, hearts filling with the vendors’ kindness.

Everyone called by name, value in remembering and value in returning.

Eagerly we pump the tires, worn from all the rides before,

strenuously pedaling our bikes through the long uphill canopy,

then sailing onto the Fruit Trail, colors lacing its sides, planted lovingly.

Giving a special smile to one bush in particular, that I crashed into years ago!

Net in hand, fervent pursuit of the elusive monarch that we finally catch and tag,

its tiny wings flutter, then swoop up and back into Catherine’s Sanctuary sky.

Eyes tracing a path through the Deep Brook my feet carefully follow,

I spot crayfish camouflaged, wriggling antenna by my bare toes.

Running miles, my serpentine trail winding around the playground,

onto the zipline, sailing like a skiff in swift current, against the rush of the breeze.

Lugging chairs, but cannot sit still; music from the bandstand swirls, we twirl.

Intermittently, our kite tugs, soars, then plummets, flapping wildly.

Anticipation builds as the count runs down

shivering in Ram’s Pasture, mesmerized by the trees.

Then all are warmed by the rainbow of lights that blanket their boughs,

by the candles that circle the pond and rocket up Main Street.

Walking along Main Street’s slate stone sidewalk, rocky puzzle pieces fit.

The warm glow emanating from each historic house reflects in my eyes.

These memories remind me of what I love about Newtown,

the places, people, closeness and community that make our town unique.

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The following essays were ranked second runners-up in the high school and middle school classes:

Madison Singlak, 17 — Newtown High School

I love Newtown because I can always walk safely down the streets. I love the immense support systems that are always there for you to fall back on. I love the free movies I can see once a month. I love Newtown because although we faced tragedy, we always stood strong. I love being able to brag about having the best ice cream. I love hosting the best labor day parade (the only one I’ve ever seen). I love being able to hike ten minutes through the woods to do backflips off the rope swing into the lake on a hot day. I love our Christmas tree lightings, Halloween on Main Street, watching sunsets at Fairfield Hills, and running the Turkey Trot. But I especially love Newtown because I feel at home, having the comfort of passing the flagpole, and a warm welcome as I wave to the security guards at school every morning.

I love Newtown because of its people. While Newtown itself is just a plot of beautiful land, the people define it. The local librarians are always going out of their way to help each individual person. Eunice always provides a warm smile while entering the bagel shop, and occasionally drops in free bagels. The firefighters that I ask to pick up every single Christmas tree and spin it, just to make sure I have the perfect one. The parent volunteers that coach to make every youth player better, yet still have a competitive edge to win. Father Bob always offers a helping hand, specifically when he paid for my track team’s whole dinner. The teachers come early and stay late with any request for extra help. These people have no obligation to go the extra mile, however, it seems to be constant every time I have an interaction with a local they always leave you feeling more than satisfied.

I love Newtown because once you become part of the town, it’s truly unforgettable. Upon joining a new club this year, our first big task was giving a school tour to people that graduated from Newtown High School 50 years ago. The majority of seniors had moved out but still had fond memories. As they looked back to their childhood walking through the halls, they told stories describing them as some of their best days. Personally, my favorite was their senior class prank, when they brought the principal’s car onto the auditorium stage from his house, and when the cops came in the middle of the night, they ran. Each story was unique, bringing them all back to great times, with not a singular bad story mentioned of this town. A town once you live in you will never forget.

There really isn’t one thing that makes me love Newtown, it’s the combination of the plethora of characteristics the town has to offer. From the town’s age-old traditions to safety as a number one priority, I can confidently say I love the town I live in.

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Amal Mamun, 13 — Newtown Middle School

Why do I love Newtown? I just moved here a little over a year ago, but I think this is the best place I’ve ever lived in. This town has many reasons to be liked, but for me, one of the biggest ones is the sense of community present in the town. This town is one of the biggest in Connecticut, but it still manages to have the feeling of a close-knit community.

The people here all seem to know each other, the shops all have a mom-and-pop feel, rather than a warehouse store that feels artificial and hollow, and the town has a newspaper that tends to focus on the more local events rather than having the most outrageous headlines ever conceived.

Another thing that I love about Newtown is the food. There is nothing that I like quite as much as food, so a town needs to have a good selection of food in order to be satisfactory to me.

Thankfully, Newtown accomplishes this with some truly delicious places to eat food. Some obvious examples are the Blue Colony Diner and The Place with delicious food that I could eat for a long time without getting sick of. The town also has wonderful places for getting ice cream, such as Ferris Acres Creamery and Holy Cow, which both have some of the best ice cream I have ever tasted.

Along with this, I especially enjoy the environment of Newtown. This reason is a bit more difficult to describe than the last two reasons, but I will try regardless. See, I am a bit of an artist, and to be an artist, one has to develop artist eyes, and see the world in a different way to create the art that they like. Newtown has the perfect atmosphere for this, as it is a colorful town with lots of history. Even during mundane, cloudy days, I still find enjoyment in being in the car, seeing the houses and their unique structure; the houses and buildings that look old, but timeless; and the slick modern buildings that are functional and stylish.

Finally, one of the biggest reasons I like Newtown is because of the people here. I may have lived in this town for only one year, but I have met the closest friend I have ever had in my life so far. Even without that friend, I have still managed to make so many friends who all have different personalities and interests, making my friend group diverse and fun to be with. I have never felt personal connections to many people in my life before moving here, but now that I really do live here, I don’t think I would ever want to move anywhere else ever again!

In conclusion, Newtown is really one of the best places I could have lived in, although my transition to living in such a new town (get it?) was rough at first, I have made memories here that will last a lifetime.

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Look for the next group of essay contributions in an upcoming edition of The Newtown Bee, and thank you to each of our 42 student contributors.