Student wins essay contest
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Updated: 11:14 AM Nov 12, 2009
Student wins essay contest
West Town Elementary fifth-grade student Danielle Hatten captures first place in an essay contest on disaster preparedness.
Posted: 12:00 AM Nov 9, 2009
Reporter: Ethan Fowler
Email Address: ethan.fowler@albanyherald.com
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West Town Elementary School fifth-grader Danielle Hatten, center, stands with teachers Adrienne Savage and Teresa Neff. Hatten is displaying a letter she received from Dougherty County School System Superintendent Sally Whatley for winning the statewide “Ready Georgia” essay contest.
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ALBANY — Danielle Hatten made a quick impression on her West Town Elementary School homeroom teacher Adrienne Savage.
After joining her classmates about two weeks after school began as a result of moving from Lake Park near Valdosta, Danielle showed great promise.
“You don’t have to remind her of something, she just does it,” said Savage, a 26-year teacher. “She started a couple weeks after school started and became the leader of the class.”
Danielle’s leadership potential came to fruition recently when she beat out nearly 1,000 other fifth-graders from across the state to win first place in the Georgia Emergency Management Agency’s “Ready Georgia” essay contest. Her essay covered items needed to make a family emergency kit and included family pets’ needs.
“I did four drafts and then I put it all together,” said Danielle, who’s also a school cheerleader, sings in the chorus, is involved in 4-H and was elected president of the first-year Addy Book Club. “At first I didn’t think I’d win and second place would’ve been good, but now that I’m in first place it’s even better.”
Savage believed Danielle had a good chance at winning the competition.
“She’s a strong writer,” she said. “Her thoughts are good and we have a supply kit in our room, so she had a general idea of what was supposed to be in there. We discussed man-made floods and how we can prevent those things from happening again.”
Teresa Neff, who teaches reading and language arts, also came away impressed with Danielle’s essay entry.
“Her ideas were well connected and she thought about the writing process,” said Neff, an 18-year teacher. “I mean, they write every day. They write every day in all subject areas. Just because you’re in math doesn’t mean you can forget about where the period goes. It’s not just when they get in Ms. Neff’s class for writing. They have to think about it in all subjects and it’s a group effort with all the teachers in all the grades.”
As a result of her state title, Danielle won a Home Depot emergency preparedness kit. The kit included a rechargeable flashlight, weather radio flashlight, duct tape, plastic sheeting, manual can opener and other items. She also received a Disney DVD/CD package with DVDs “Meet the Robinsons” and “Sonny With a Chance,” and CDs “That’s So Raven” and “Camp Rock.”
Danielle also received a congratulatory letter from Dougherty County School System Superintendent Sally Whatley.
“As superintendent, I am very proud of you,” Whatley wrote. “To know a great deal about emergency preparedness and the steps that should be taken to prepare families for emergencies is truly commendable.”
The fact that her essay helps parents and families learn how to establish an emergency preparedness kit also impressed Danielle’s principal at West Town Elementary, Alene Pringle.
“It’s very important because it told the parents how to get ready for a disaster, as well as the community,” she said.

Get Ready Georgia
By Danielle Hatten
West Town Elementary
Get ready, Georgia! Storm season is upon us. You need to be ready for all natural and man-made disasters. If there is a fire, hurricane, tornado, flood or pandemic, you need to be prepared. How do you get prepared? Go to the Ready Georgia website. It can help you and your family be prepared for a disaster so you won’t be caught unprepared.
The first thing you need to do is be prepared. Go to the website and download the supply list of things that you need to make an emergency kit. After you have purchased all of your supplies, put them in a plastic container and keep it in a safe, accessible place. Some of the things you will need in your kit include: food for your family for at least three days, three gallons of water for each family member, batteries, flashlights, blankets, medicines, and important phone numbers and records. Make sure that the food you pack doesn’t spoil easily. Don’t forget the family pet. You will need to include food for them, too!
Next you will need to plan. Your family needs to be aware of the safety plan. They need to know what to do in case of tornadoes, hurricanes, floods or fire. Go over your plan with each family member so that they know what to do in case of an emergency. It is a good idea to put important phone numbers and copies of important documents in your emergency kit, also. Make sure that all family members are aware of your plan. It is a good idea to include out of town family members in your plan as well. Make sure you have a place to go in case your town is evacuated, and make sure family members know that they are welcome at your house if they need to evacuate.
You will also need to stay informed. Make sure you have an emergency weather radio that runs on batteries. It will keep you aware of any storm warnings in your area. Always watch the local news in your area so that you will be aware of, not just weather events, but anything going on in your area that may cause potential hazards.
If you follow this plan, you should be safe in case of emergencies. So, prepare, plan and stay informed, Georgia!

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