Photo provided to the Times Observer Brady O’Donnell has been awarded the AMVETS Department of Pennsylvania Service Foundation Scholarship. The scholarship was presented by his grandfather, Gary Fry.

A Warren County student has finished in second place in a state-wide AMVETS essay competition.

Brady O’Donnell, who just graduated from Sheffield High school last month, took second in both the Americanism Program and AADAA (Amvets Against Drug and Alcohol Abuse) categories.

The award was made at the AMVETS Department of Pennsylvania 78th State Convention held in Uniontown, Pa. in late June.

The theme for the Americanism category asked students to write on the question “What does freedom look like to me.”

For the AADAA portion, the theme was “There is no use for Drug Abuse.”

O’Donnell was also awarded the AMVETS Department of Pennsylvania Service Foundation Scholarship as he will be attending Penn State Main Campus.

His grandfather, past National Commander of AMVETS Gary Friday, was also to present the scholarship to O’Donnell.

During the convention, Fry was elected president of the Department of Pennsylvania Service Foundation and also currently serves on the advisory board for the Pennsylvania Soldiers and Sailors Home.