There are plenty of options on how you could have spent this afternoon of July 4, and we are pleased and honored that you chose to spend it here at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site," said Jeff Jones, site manager, as he welcomed attendees to Hopewell's annual Independence Day celebration, which featured patriotic music and the recitation of the Declaration of Independence. The event also included the reading of winning essays as part of a contest that invited local students to address the question, "What Is Your Pursuit of Happiness?"

Jones provided a bit of history about America's war with Great Britain, which culminated in the writing of the Declaration, a document adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, that announced the 13 American Colonies were separating from Great Britain. "Many lives (were) lost before the words penned in Philadelphia became a reality," Jones stated. "The colonists who took up the fight for independence had various reasons for doing so. We'll soon collectively read the Declaration that includes an extensive list of reasons that they felt justified in separating from Great Britain."

The highlight of the event was the reading of the winning essays. Jones thanked the Friends of Hopewell Furnace and Friends president Jim McClelland for their work in organizing the essay contest, as well as the judges. "I'm immensely grateful to our panel of judges - Jared Brandt of French Creek State Park, Sharon Brahmstadt from the Friends of Hopewell Furnace and Francine Fulton of the Community Courier," said Jones. "They thoughtfully read and considered each submission."

The high school winners were Brynn McKeown, Twin Valley High School (TVHS), first place; Luke Falcon, Spring-Ford Area High School, second place; and Charlotte Morrison, TVHS, third place. Middle school winners were Jasmine Moore, Twin Valley Middle School, first place; Juliet Shepherd, Governor Mifflin Middle School, second place; and Nityasree Sanka, March Creek Sixth Grade Center, third place.

In her essay, Brynn said that her pursuit of happiness began at a young age with an appreciation of the small things in life. "At 6, I filmed silly videos with my sister and captured little moments in my life," she stated. "I played the Nintendo Wii for hours on end without a care in the world. I savored every bite of my food. I listened to Weezer and pretended to be cooler than I was."

Her essay stated that this lesson of appreciating life's small moments still applies today. "When I was 6, I didn't need to find my happiness. I didn't need to earn it by getting the highest grade on my essay or scoring an A on my chemistry exam; it was just there," she said. "I think that's what I would like to return to: cherishing my everyday moments."

In her first-place essay, Jasmine echoed Brynn's feelings about finding happiness in life's simple moments. "I enjoy pursuing my happiness as I cherish the small things that include exploring nature, listening to music, waving to my friends at school, eating, spending time with family or even just smiling at a stranger," said Jasmine. "I am overcome with fulfillment while doing all of these things because I have learned to value small moments throughout my day-to-day life. When I pay attention to these little events on a daily basis, I am reminded that happiness doesn't have to rely on major achievements or events, and it allows me to appreciate what I already have."

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

Also featured during the ceremony were the presentation of colors by Scout troop 597 and 595; a performance of the national anthem by Amanda Spotts; and the singing of "America" by Amelia Shelgren.

McClelland provided information about the Friends group, a nonprofit all-volunteer organization which has mission to support the interpretation, preservation and activities of Hopewell Furnace. Each of the essay contest winners was presented with a framed certificate and a cash prize provided by the Friends.

To read all of the essays in their entirety, visit www.nps.gov/hofu/index.htm and scroll down to "Independence Day Writing Challenge."

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.