Patriotic music and the recitation of the Declaration of Independence were featured during a celebration held on July 4 on the front lawn of the Ironmaster's Mansion at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. The event also included the reading of winning essays as part of a contest that invited local middle and high school students to address the question "What Does the Phrase 'Created Equal' Mean to You?"

The National Park Service and the Friends of Hopewell Furnace presented the program, which was held to commemorate the 247th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Crystal Williams, acting site manager for Hopewell Furnace, provided the welcome, which was followed by "The Star-Spangled Banner" led by Molly Herman and the presenting of colors by Girl Scouts from Daniel Boone Service Unit 763 and Boy Scouts from Pack and Troop 595. The ceremony also included the singing of "America the Beautiful" by Amelia Shelgren.

Essay contest winners were invited to read their entries at the event. High school winners were Simran Sahoo, first place, Downingtown STEM Academy; Abigail Smith, second place, Owen J. Roberts High School; and Christopher Landis, Jr., third place, Daniel Boone Area High School. Middle school winners were Archisha Charkraborty, first place, Lionville Middle School; Yunni Wawrzyniak, second place, Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center; and Nithya Vanacharla, third place, Lionville Middle School.

Archisha, Christopher and Abigail were on hand to read their essays. The other essays were read by the winners' representatives, which included park staff members.

Simran's essay talked about people who still fight for equality in America. "As I shuffle through flashcards of the eight characteristics all living things need to survive, (I wonder) where the cards 'equality' and 'kindness' went," the essay stated. "What gives me hope, however, is that there are still so many of us that live life with kindness, and so, we all have the power to be kind."

In her essay, Archisha talked about true equality. "To me, (created equal) means that every human being is born with inherent worth and dignity, regardless of race, gender, religion, or any other characteristic," she stated. "It means that everyone should have an equal opportunity to pursue their dreams and aspirations without facing discrimination or prejudice."

Each of the essay contest winners was presented with a framed certificate and a cash prize. To read the essays in their entirety, visit http://www.nps.gov/hofu/index.htm and scroll down to "2023 Independence Day Writing Challenge. "

After the essay readings, audience members volunteered to read the Declaration of Independence line by line using printouts of the document provided by Williams.

Hopewell Furnace is located at 2 Mark Bird Lane, Elverson. The park's facilities are currently open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the park is free. For more information, call 610-582-8773 or visit the previously mentioned website.

The essay contest winners were (from left) Christopher Landis Jr., Archisha Charkraborty, Abigail Smith, (not pictured) Nithya Vanacharla, Simran Sahoo and Yunni Wawrzyniak.