SALEM -- Salem Hills High senior Emily Hedelius won first place in the Freedom Festival Speech contest sponsored by the Freedom Festival. Her speech, entitled "Called to Service," pays homage to sacrifices and acts of service that many early revolutionists made for our country. This service, she says, is required to repair the apathetic and entitled nature of many of America's youth.

With first place, Hedelius also won a prize of a $750 scholarship and will give her speech in front of an estimated 3,000 people at the Patriotic Fireside at UVU's UCCU Center at 7 p.m. July 1.

Hedelius first posted her speech on YouTube according to contest rules. Then on May 5, the six finalists performed their speeches in front of a panel of judges. After some time deliberating, Hedelius was informed that she ranked in first place.

"The United States was founded on principles of selfless service for the greater good, even if it meant that one's own life was in jeopardy," said Hedelius in the award-winning speech.

One of the heroes she spoke of was Sgt. Richard Kirkland, who was a Confederate soldier during the Civil War. After a battle on Marye's Heights, there were 8,000 wounded Union soldiers suffering on the battlefield. Kirkland requested permission to help the dying men, and though he was denied, he bravely chose to go anyway at the risk of his own life. He later earned the nickname, "The Angel of Marye's Heights" by both the Confederate and Union soldiers.

"I picked the topic, because I've always loved the story of Sgt. Richard Kirkland, and I saw the quote by Abraham Lincoln in Mr. Welton's classroom. I took those two and wrote a speech about it," Hedelius said.

Hedelius's speech also highlighted the efforts of Clara Barton, the wartime nurse who founded the American Red Cross in the 1800s and Betsy Ross, who sewed the first American flag in 1776 despite personal struggles that could have prevented her from serving. These acts of service for the nation impacted Hedelius greatly.

"Since I have learned about how much people have sacrificed for our flag, it troubles me to see how people now are so unwilling to stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance," she said.

Hedelius goes on to express her anguish about the resistance against the recent bill to have the Pledge recited every day in Utah schools. Hedelius was shocked at the response that people might feel offended by the Pledge; she sees it as an opportunity to restore patriotism among the youth, many of whom she claims had fallen into a "pit of ingratitude and apathy."

Service, Hedelius believes, is the best way to for American citizens to "repair damages" and "regain grounds lost from apathy."

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Salem student wins Freedom Festival Speech contest