The winners of the 2014 Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest were announced on Monday at the 23rd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration at Ohio University Southern.

Essays were submitted by 23 middle and five high school students in hopes of winning first, second or third-place cash prizes. The contest’s theme was “Words in Stone, Actions in Life: Contemporary Leaders Living the Example of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”

All three middle school winners were from Portsmouth Junior High School. Jaden Morris claimed the first-place $100 prize, Kellie Blevins won $50 for second place and Jaden Nuckols claimed third-place and $25.

Megan Archambault, of South Point High School, Emilee Powell, of South Point High School, and Mason Slagel, of Ironton High School, won first, second and third-place in the high school competition, respectively.

OUS English professor Hayley Haugen thanked students and members of the Literature Club for helping her judge the essays.

“I had a lot of help judging these wonderful essays.” Haugen said. “I would like to thank and recognize the student judges who helped.”

OUS students Michelle Dotts, Brittany Bryant, Jessica Conley and Michelle Bentley all aided Haugen with judging. The essays will be printed in an upcoming edition of The Tribune.