The essay contest was created as a result of House Bill 2208, passed by the 2001 West Virginia Legislature, and signed into law by Governor Wise.

This law, which mandates that character education be integrated into the public school curriculum, provides students in grades three through 12 the opportunity to annually address the subject of character as they write to a given prompt.

County level winners and state winners were selected in grades three through 12 by a team of teachers trained in holistic scoring.

Essays were numbered and judged by grade level, which ensured anonymity during the contest. County level first place winners will receive a $100.00 savings bond and the state level winners will receive a portable DVD player.

The contest was sponsored by the Office of Student Assessment Services, West Virginia Department of Education.

Mrs. Phyllis Evans, a teacher at Arnoldsburg Elementary School, served as the county liaison and was instrumental in making the contest a success in the county and state.

The school, the teachers, and the students who participated in this contest are to be commended for the high level of writing, commented Greg Cartwright, Director of Curriculum and Instruction.

Below is a list of students who were selected as winners. Grade Place Student Name Essay Title School 3rd Grade:BR> 1st - Levi Gordon, Famous Ben Franklin, Arnoldsburg
2nd - Monica Wilson, Rosa Parks, Arnoldsburg
3rd - Rachelle Murphy, George Washington, Arnoldsburg
Honorable Mention - Jessica McCumbers, George Washington, Arnoldsburg

4th Grade:
1st - Allison Gumbarevic, A Woman of Freedom, Pleasant Hill
2nd - Sidney Hipp, Harriet Tubman, Pleasant Hill
3rd - Amber Wilford, Daniel Boone, Arnoldsburg
Honorable Mention, Emily Bain, Abe Lincoln, Pleasant Hill

5th Grade:
Honorable Mention, Kayla Cottrell, Abe Lincoln, CMHS

6th Grade:
1st - Zachary Moore,The All Star Citizen, CMHS
2nd - Nekka Pinson, Harriet Tubman, CMHS
3rd - Krista Brunecz, Rosa Parks, CMHS
Honorable Mention, Elijah Dye, Abe Lincoln, CMHS

7th Grade:
1st - Jessica Cosgrove, Todd Beamer, CMHS
2nd - Anna Sampson, Martin Luther King, Jr., CMHS
3rd - Tiffany Boggs, George Washington, CMHS
Honorable Mention - Christopher Lane, Abe Lincoln, CMHS

8th Grade:
1st - Kayla Brooke Miller, George Washington, CMHS
2nd - Cassie Mullins, Harriet Tubman, CMHS
3rd - Kara Bennett, I Have A Dream, CMHS

10th Grade:
2nd - Ivan Mitchell Cunningham, An American Heroine, CMHS
3rd - Britni Whited, Helen Keller, CMHS
Honorable Mention - Erica Wriston, George Washington, CMHS

11th Grade:
1st - Jason Poling, Theodore Roosevelt, CMHS

12th Grade:
1st - Sierra Wriston, Theodore Roosevelt, CMHS