Local students win essay contest

HONORED- Contest winners Shannon Esswein, left, and Lauren Marten stand with Township Elementary School Principal Laura Tyre, middle, at the Rotary Club of Simi Sunrise meeting where the two girls received their checks.

Two local students placed in the 200708 annual Rotary District 5240 essay contest, which was open to students throughout Ventura County.

In the Elementary School Division, Lauren Marten, a fifthgrader from Township Elementary School, won the first-place award of $250.

In the High School Division, Shannon Esswein, a 10th-grader from Simi Valley High School, earned the second-place award of $175.

The two students received their checks at a recent Rotary Club of Simi Sunrise meeting.

The contest was open to students in three categories: elementary school, middle school and high school.

There was a separate division for special needs students.

The goal of the contest is to encourage students to think about the meaning of Rotary's "The 4-Way Test," in which one's actions are judged by truthfulness, fairness, benefit and the ability to build goodwill.