The Camden Lions Club invited the five student winners of the local 2017 Lions International Peace Poster Contest and their families to dinner at its January 16 meeting.  Jim Morse, who teaches sixth grade at the Camden Rockport Middle School and who has worked with the Peace Poster contest for 14 years, was also present.  This year’s poster theme was “The Future of Peace.”  Students who were 11 to 13 as of November 15 were eligible to participate.

After dinner, the students presented their posters and Lion Jerry Stone distributed the students’ awards.  Winners received $100 and runners up received $50.  The Lions commended Jim Morse with a $100 gift certificate to a local Camden restaurant.      

In 2017, the Lions International Peace Poster Contest, celebrated its 30th anniversary.  The contest is designed to encourage local Lions Clubs to engage with the youth in their community.  The contest encourages students to creatively think about what peace means to them.  Jim Morse encourages all of his students to enter the contest each year.  Students can only use hand-drawn images that they create themselves. 

After the poster deadline, Lion Jerry Stone collects the posters and a committee of Lions judges them.  The winning poster goes next to district judging and could go on to judging at the regional, national, and international levels.  

Ryan Anderson, son of Kristen and Karl Anderson, won this year’s contest, and his poster has been sent to the state district level of this contest.  

Kalen Hixson, daughter of Tara and Josh Hixson, and Colin Wright, son of Elizabeth and Kipp Wright, were also winners.  Violet Libby, daughter of Amy and Joe Libby, and Raelynn Roy, daughter of Ashley Roy, were runners up.