PORTLAND – Student artwork and writing samples were on display in the State of Maine Room at Portland City Hall when students, teachers, principals and parents from central and southern Maine gathered to be recognized for participating in a statewide student writing and art competition.

The students were asked to describe in pictures or words what healthy living meant to them. The winners were selected from more than 400 entries in each of the writing and art competitions. First-, second- and third-place was awarded to kindergarten through grade four, grades five through eight and grades nine through 12.

Nine winners from each contest were chosen and a gift of $2,000 was awarded to the English or art departments of each first-place winner’s school. All 18 winners received a portable CD player, a certificate and recognition on www.anthem.com and in the next issue of Healthy Solutions, as well as in Maine Educator.

More than 400 pieces of artwork are on display at the Gannett Drive office of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

First place in the art competition for grades kindergarten through four went to Elise Arsenault of George B. Weatherbee School in Bangor. First place in grades five through eight was awarded to Alex Spies of Mount Ararat Middle School in Topsham. Tom Owens, a senior at Gorham High School, was awarded first place for grades nine through 12.

Second place went to Adrienne Lang, grades nine through 12, Mt. Desert Island High School; Matt Davenport, grades five through eight, Manchester Elementary School; and Evie Chambers, grades kindergarten through four, Manchester Elementary School.

Third-place winners in the art competition were: Eden Bergeron, grades nine through 12, Monmouth Academy; Breanna Gorneau, grades five through eight, Manchester Elementary School; Megan Hall, grades kindergarten through four, Manchester Elementary School.

First-place writing winners were Lyzz Stephenson of Windham High School, grades nine through 12; Kate Spies of Mount Ararat High School, grades five through eight; Hayley Steckler of Pownal Elementary School, grades kindergarten through four.

Second place went to Jacob Anzalone, grades nine through 12, Van Buren District Secondary School; Deric Hanscom, grades five through eight, Guy E. Rowe School, Norway; Stephanie Felt, grades kindergarten through four, Farrington/Augusta.

Third-place winners were: Ethan Guillemette, grades nine through 12, Maranacook Community School, Readfield; Christina Cook, grades five through eight, Messalonskee Middle School; Katie Harlow, grades kindergarten through four, Pownal Elementary School.