CARRABASSETT VALLEY — The Maine Elks Association recently honored several youths from across the state as part of their 83rd annual State Convention held at the Sugarloaf Ski Area.

The first awards presented were for the Elks Americanism Essay Contest. This contest was open to fifth through eighth graders who wrote a 200-word essay on "Why I am Proud to Pledge Allegiance to the Flag?" Presenting the awards were MEA Americanism Director Scott Butters and MEA State President Wayne Cotterly.

Several hundred students participated in the program across the state. Winners were Shiloh Eaton and Sonya Shepherd, both representing the Ellsworth Elks Lodge.

Next were the awards for the Elks Drug Awareness contests, which were a coloring contest open to third graders, a poster contest open to fourth graders and an essay contest open to fifth graders. The winners of the coloring contest were Brian Kenealy, representing the York Elks Lodge, and Brooklyn Tupper, Presque Isle Elks Lodge. The poster contest winners were Danielle Spicer, York Elks Lodge, and Spencer Hunnewell, Skowhegan-Madison Elks Lodge. The winners of the essay contest were Joseph Anderson, Presque Isle Elks Lodge, and Alexis Barbuto, Skowhegan-Madison Elks Lodge.