WELLS —The Wells-Ogunquit Community School District presented the 31st Annual Literary Achievement Awards ceremony on stage in the new Wells High School Performing Arts Center on April 27.

The event will recognize 66 students who placed in this creative writing contest for 2017.

Fourteen ‘first place’ winners from grades kindergarten through Adult Community Education read all or a portion of their short stories and poems to the audience.

Prizes were awarded including $500 to Wells High School senior Madison Morin for her poem, Reflecting Hope.

First place winners included Robert Roche (kindergarten); Carolyn Nichols (Grade 1); Francesca MacEwen (Grade 2); Aiden Lear (Grade 3); Angelina Demarco (Grade 4); Zachary Smith (Grade 5); Alivia Boucher (Grade 6); Kara Borkowski (Grade 7); Kathryn Cafaro (Grade 8); Felicia DesJardins (Grade 9); Katherine Reidy (Grade 10), Estelle Reardon (Grade 11), Madison Morin (Grade 12) and Tam Tran (ACE).

The Literary Achievement Awards contest was established in 1986. The program is sponsored by the Wells-Ogunquit CSD, the Rotary Clubs of Wells and Ogunquit and the Steakhouse in Wells.

The contest and ceremony is an annual event that encourages, recognizes and rewards outstanding creative writing at all grade levels.

In 2017, some 236 students submitted various forms of writing including poetry, non-fiction, and fiction. All entries were judged anonymously at two levels — district staff and a community panel.

The top winner at each grade level (with the exception of 12th grade) received $100. Second-place winners received $50 and third-place winners received $25. Honorable mentions received $10 gift certificates to the Steakhouse in Wells.