PORTLAND  — The Maine Humanities Council, the state’s partner with the national Letters About Literature competition, announced the 2014 winners today. Katie Larson of Edgecomb won the Level I (grades 4 - 6) competition, Augusta Stockman, of Camden, won the state’s Level II (grades 7 & 8) competition, and Isabel Crane, of Camden, won in Level III (grades 9 - 10). There were also several semifinalists. (See below for entire list).

Letters About Literature encourages students to write to an author explaining how the author’s book changed their perspective and influenced their life. It is sponsored nationally by the Library of Congress, and locally by the David Royte Foundation. Teachers play an important role in this, utilizing this competition as an assignment, and working intensely with the students to refine their thoughts and improve their writing skills.

First Place Winners

Level 1: Katie Larson, Grade 6, Center for Teaching and Learning, Edgecomb. ish by Peter Reynolds

Level 2: Augusta Stockman, Grade 8, Camden-Rockport Middle School, Camden. Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Level 3: Isabel Crane, Grade 11, Watershed School, Camden. Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Second Place Winners 

Level 1: Sydney Sullivan, Center for Teaching and Learning, Edgecomb.

Level 2: Rebecca Cox, Camden-Rockport Middle School, Camden

Level 3: Nicole Gebhart, Central Aroostook Junior-Senior High School, Mars Hill

Honorable Mention

Level 1: Brielle Biehn, Mary Snow School, Bangor.

Level 3: Jennifer Turner, Bonny Eagle High School, Standish.

Complete List of Semi-Finalists (Listed by School)

Bonny Eagle Middle School, Buxton 

Maya Schmidt

Camden-Rockport Middle School, Camden

Cape Elizabeth Middle School, Cape Elizabeth

Center for Teaching and Learning, Edgecomb

Daniel F. Mahoney Middle School, South Portland

Jack Vose-Gimbel

Frank Harrison Middle School, Yarmouth

Alexandra Augur

Greely Middle School, Cumberland

Annabelle Williams

Hope Elementary School, Hope

Evie Bracher

Lynne Moore Middle School, Portland

Lauren Paridise

Massabesic Middle School, E. Waterboro

Brooke Cox

Scarborough Middle School, Scarborough

Ivy DiBiase

St. Dominic Academy, Auburn

John Auer

Veazie Community School, Veazie

Sydney Solomon

Wells Junior High School, Wells

About Maine Humanities Council 
The Maine Humanities Council is an independent, statewide, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the people of Maine deepen their understanding of themselves, their communities, and the world. The Council works with volunteer literacy programs, educators, school systems and libraries to promote the power and pleasure of ideas through its programming; the Council also provides grants supporting projects in community history, exhibits, workshops and other areas of study.