Steve Dreeszen has reason to look happy as he holds the telegram which notified him he was a winner of a Washington, D.C., trip as a result of his essay in a statewide safety patrol contest.

Just about a month from now Steve Dreeszen, 11-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Emmett Dreeszen, 3101 Lincoln Way, will be packing his bags for an all-expense trip to Washington, D.C.  Steve was notified Wednesday that he won the trip in the AAA Motor Club of Iowa's state-wide patrol contest.

"Although I have been awarded a trip to Washington, D.C. for my prize-winning essay on school safety patrol, I wish to give my fellow patrolmen at Welch school their share of the credit for winning third place in the Class A division of the school safety patrol contest," Steve said today.

Other Welch patrol members are Murtha Bateman, Bernice Black, Mike Disque, Mitzi Gobeen, Sally Howard, Dean Hunziker, Denny Jackson, Terry Kluck, Jim Lindquist, Bobby Moore, Hilda Norstrud, Dick Schafer, Joel Vilmont, Carolyn White, patrol captain.  Seven other patrol members and two teacher-supervisors who have won similar awards will represent the 450 safety patrols of Iowa at the 18th annual school safety patrol assembly in Washington, D.C. May 7 and 8.  More than 30,000 boys and girls from all over the country are expected, according to Johnny Lange, safety director of the AAA Motor Club of Iowa.

The seven-day motoring trip, to be supervised by members of the AAA Motor Club's safety department, will take the Iowa winners over the Pennsylvania Turnpike to Gettysburg where they will view the historic battlegrounds of the Civil war, enroute to the nation's Capitol.  The Honorable Thomas E. Martin, United States Congressman from Iowa, will conduct an extensive tour of the capitol.  The return trip to Iowa will include a drive through the Blue Ridge Mountains along the famous Skyline Drive.

Essays written on the subject, "The Accomplishments of My School Safety Patrol," and the excellence of patrol operation were the basis for the selection of contest winners.  Steve's entry was judged one of the best submitted in Division A and qualified Welch school for final on-the-spot judging of its patrol efficiency.

In that phase of the contest Welch school ranked third in the state in Division A, comprised of all school located in cities of more than 2,500.  Division B included all other schools.  First place winner in Division A was Lincoln school of Charles City.  St. Mary's of Waterloo placed second.

The local boy's winning essay was chosen from a field of six in local competition before it was sent on for state competition.

ESSAY - It reads as follows: 

"Many lives have been saved through the cooperation of the School Safety Patrol.  There has not been one fatal accident at school crossings guarded by patrolmen.  The school benefits by the patrol helping children to get to and from school safely.

To the children it helps develop them to be safety conscious and teaches them more and new safety rules.  Also, it gives the younger boys and girls something to work for.  To the patrol member it gives him the feeling of responsibility and teaches him to be alert.  To the parents it gives them a feeling of security in the well being of their children.

The Safety Patrol plays a vital part in the growth and development of America's children."

Steve is one of three children.  He has an older brother, Lynn, 14, and a younger sister, Dee Ann, 5.  His father is an administrative aid at the Atomic Institute.

Besides, he said, most parents learned to drive when speeds were much lower and traffic problems were less acute.

We need to teach our children to live in the motor age," he said.  "We have 55,000,000 automobiles and 25,000,000 bicycles in the United States."  And, he said, safety is everyone's business.

Ulish is author of the Iowa Model Bicycle Ordinances and co-author of a Handbook for Driver Education of Teachers.  An added feature of the program Friday noon was a presentation of a special safety award to Steve Dreeszen, 3101 Lincoln Way, and the Welch school patrol.  Presentation was by John Lange, safety director of the AAA Motor Club of Iowa.

Steve Dreeszen, Welch school patrol, is greeted on his arrival in Washington, D.C., by Representative Paul Cunningham of Iowa.  Johnny Lange, safety director of the AAA Motor Club of Iowa which awarded eight all-expense trips in a state-wide school patrol contest, looks on.

AMES BOY PART OF BIGGEST WASHINGTON PARADE EVER - Washington, D.C., (Special) - Steve Dreeszen, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Emmett Dreeszen, 3101 Lincoln Way, Ames, was greeted on is arrival here by Representative Paul Cunningham of Iowa.  Steve, who was awarded one of eight all-expense trips in the AAA Motor Club of Iowa state-wide School Safety Patrol Contest, is in the nation's capital as a delegate to the 18th National School Safety Patrol Assembly.

Later, the members of the Iowa patrol delegation were guests at a luncheon given by their congressmen in the private dining room of the Speaker of the House.  Saturday the Iowa boys and girls paraded on Constitution avenue with more than 30,000 other patrol members from all over the nation.  This was the largest parade ever held in Washington, D.C.