FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Contact: Kristen Schulze Muszynski
207-626-8404

Secretary Dunlap announces winners of 2020 Maine Constitution Essay and Poster Contest

 

AUGUSTA – Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap has announced the winners of the 2020 Maine Constitution Essay and Poster Contest.

The annual contest allows Maine students from grades K through 12 to participate, with older students submitting essays regarding the Maine Constitution, voting and democracy; and younger students creating posters reflecting Maine history or symbols.

“The essay and poster contest is a great opportunity for students to reflect on the wide spectrum of Maine’s identity, from our traditional industries to the iconic animals that roam our woods and waters,” said Dunlap. “We congratulate the winners and hope that all of the students gained a deeper appreciation for their state through their participation.”

The essay contest is for students in middle school and high school. It is divided into two categories:

The theme for grades 6-8 is “The Maine Constitution.” Ava Anderson, a seventh-grade student in Helen Williams’ class at Windsor Elementary, received top honors in this category for her essay entitled “Maine Constitution Essay.”

The theme for grades 9-12 is “The Importance of Voting and Democracy.” Olga Baciu, a 10th-grade student in William Prest’s class at Highview Christian Academy in Charleston, took first place in this category for her essay entitled “Every Vote Counts.”

The poster contest, open to students from kindergarten to grade 5, is broken into two categories, with a theme of “Maine Symbols” for grades K-3 and “Maine History” for grades 4-5.

Allison Amacio, a third-grade student in Angela Legere’s class at Hanson Elementary School in Lebanon, received top honors for her Maine symbols poster, which featured a “Happy Birthday Maine” banner with images of honeybees, blueberry pie, whoopie pies and more.

Silvi Emami-Greifendorf, a fourth-grade student in Brittany Garcia’s class at Rangeley Lakes Regional School in Rangeley, received top honors for her Maine history poster “Maine’s Commitment to the Civil War,” which includes soldiers, abolitionist author Harriett Beecher Stowe, and Oliver Otis Howard, founder of Howard University and head of the post-Civil War Freedmen's Bureau.

To learn more about the Maine Constitution Essay and Poster Contest and view winning entries from this year’s contest and past contests, visit the Secretary of State’s website.