The Forsyth County Republican Party is proud to announce the winners of this year's essay contest. Both winning essay writers and the runners-up from various schools around our county attended a special meeting on Tuesday, May 9, 2006, at the Kiwanis building on Pilgrim Mill Road in Cumming, along with their families and teachers, where they were honored for their achievement.

All winning and runner-up essays were read to the audience on Tuesday evening and are now posted to www.forsythgop.us for viewing.

And the winners are....

In the Elementary Category (1st - 5th grade):

1st Place

Colton Miller - 3rd grade

Coal Mountain Elementary

Sponsoring Teacher - John Chamberlain

Runner-Up

Wyatt Counter - 3rd grade

Sawnee Elementary

Sponsoring Teacher - Dawn Hall

In the Junior High Category (6th - 8th grade):

1st Place

Aaron Sanderson - 8th grade

North Forsyth Middle School

Sponsoring Teacher - Ivy Hilliard

Runner-Up

Jacqueline Yarbro - 7th grade

Riverwatch Middle School

Sponsoring Teacher - Patti Fuller

In the High School Category (9th - 12th grade):

1st Place

Jessie Wharton - 9th grade

North Forsyth High School

Sponsoring Teacher - Clori Rose

Runners-Up (tie)

Annie Johnston - 10th grade

Forsyth Central High School

Sponsoring Teacher - Paula Walker

Alex Miller - 9th grade

South Forsyth High School

Sponsoring Teacher - Tracy Braun

The 1st place winners will receive a $200 U.S. Savings Bond. The sponsoring teachers of the 1st
place winners will receive a $100 gift certificate to purchase supplies for their classrooms.

Runners-up and their sponsoring teachers will also receive recognition.

A Special Thanks...

In addition to those already mentioned, we would like to extend recognition to two additional teachers who were responsible for numerous submissions: Shannon Warr of Sharon Elementary and Tamera Holzer of North Forsyth Middle School.