The McMinnville Lions Club has announced winners of its 2012 Anti-Drug Awareness Essay Contest. The contest is open to students in grades 6-12.
This year’s theme was “The Choice of a Lifetime: My Future With vs. Without Drugs.” Students from Warren County High School, Warren Academy, Morrison, Centertown, Irving College, Warren County Middle School, and Covenant Academy wrote essays.
Winners in the high school division are Warren Academy students Harlyi Turner, 10th grade, first place; Blair Adams, 12th grade, second place; and Hunter Bouldin, 11th grade, third place.
“I used experiences in my life to write my essay,” Turner said. “I want to learn from the mistakes of others so I don’t make those same mistakes.”
Middle school division winners are Jacob Rabideau, eighth grade, WCMS, first place; Cassie Scruggs, seventh grade, Centertown, second place; and Kaylee Campbell, eighth grade, Irving College, third place.
First place winners received $50, second place $25, and third place $10. All first-place finishers advance to the district contest, where winners will be awarded savings bonds: $1,500 first place, $1,000 second place, $500 third place, $300 fourth place, and $200 fifth place.
Honorable mentions were given to students in various schools:
• Morrison School — seventh-graders Rene Alvarez, Harley Boyd, and Sydney Hobbs; eighth-graders Gavin Powers, Tommy Smith and Mauro Mendoza.
• Centertown School — eighth-graders Hannah Wright, Diamond Davis and Nicholas Williamson.
• Irving College — sixth-graders Pablo Garcia, Jalen Smith, Curtis Grissom; seventh-graders Candace Wanamaker, Anna Lee and Lucas Patrick; eighth-graders, Grace Young and Savannah Parsons.
• Covenant Academy — sixth-graders Emma Grace Madewell, Jaren Watts and Samuel Geoffrey Griffin; seventh-graders Kaylee Smith and Crosley A. Smith; eighth-graders Will Whitlock and Hannah Griffin.
• WCMS — eighth-graders Daniel Kastello and Hayden Everett.
• WCHS — 12th-grader Brittani Martin.
• Warren Academy — 11th-grader Tyler Edwards; ninth-grader Johnathan Terry.
The Anti-Drug Awareness Essay contest is offered annually by the McMinnville Lions Club to raise awareness about the dangers of drugs.