Library 'Friends' announce winners

Two third grade students took top honors for the Grades 1- 3 in the 2007 Troup Library Composition Competition. They are Landen Dean, runner-up, and Jacob Paulson, first place.

The Friends of the Troup Library announced the winners of the 2007 Competition Composition contest on Saturday, May 12 in the Troup Municipal Library's Community Room. This year marks the 10th year the Friends have sponsored the Composition Competition.

Winners in three gradebased categories earned U.S. savings bonds, trophies, and certificates. The ceremony also honored all students who entered the contest, as well as the parents, schools and teachers who motivated entries in the Composition Competition entries. Some 65 people attended the event.

The three categories are Grades 1-3, Grades 4-5, and Grades 6-8. First place winners in each category took home a trophy and a $50 U.S. savings bond. The bonds are the generous gifts of Austin State Bank in Troup, Arp State Bank and Troup Banking Center, a branch of the Kilgore First National Bank. The runner-up in each category also earned a trophy.

Two honorable mention winners in the 2007 Troup Library Composition Competition are Ashley Johnson, a sixth grader, and Travis Walston, a fifth grader.

"Several of the judges noted that the papers were even better than those last year," said Navoleine Roddy, chair of the Composition Competition. "We had a good time reading the papers, but a hard time selecting the winners."

Both top winners in the Grades 1-3 category are enrolled in Troup Elementary School in Marla Beth Pike's third grade class. Jacob Paulson won first place; Landen Dean is the runner-up.

In the Grades 4-5 category, Jayla Parker, fourth grade student in Sophia Bright's class at Troup Elementary School, won first place. Lexee Jones, fifth grade student in Pam Newman's class at Troup Elementary School, earned runner up.

Both top winners in the Grades 6-8 category are students of Tiffany Taylor's eighth grade class at Arp Middle School. Lani Anderson won first place; Charles Keith is the runner up.

In Grades 1-3, seven children won honorable mention certificates: Taryn Blackerby in Pike's third grade class at Troup Elementar y School; Nick Buckner in Ivy Hewitt's first grade class at Troup Elementary School; Miranda Kilman and Brett Langenbau in Ruth Smith's second grade class at Arp Elementary School; Jasmine Lee in Sharon Cline's first grade class at Troup Elementary School; McKenzie Skiles in Teresa Petty's first grade class at Arp Elementar y School; and Jaylon Wagoner in Pike's third grade class at Troup Elementary School.

The 11 honorable mention certificates in Grades 4-5 went to the following: Mandy Alibrando, fifth grader in Kathy Stroupe's class at Arp Elementary School; Kara Benge, fourth grader in Kim Knighton's class at Troup Elementary School; Elise Bond, fifth grader in Connie Sanford's class at Arp Elementar y School; Austin Darden, fourth grader in Bright's class at Troup Elementar y School; Lana Ledford, fourth grader in Amy Ledford's class at Troup Elementar y School; Kelby Lyon, fifth grader in Newman's class at Troup Elementary School; Nichole Mason, fourth grader in Knighton's class at Troup Elementar y School; Megan Miller, fifth grader in Sanford's class at Troup Elementary School; Amber Reneau and Shyanne Stark, fifth graders in Newman's class at Troup Elementary School; and Travis Walston, fifth grader in Sanford's class at Troup Elementary School.

Jayla Parker and Lexee Jones are the first and second place winners for Grades 4-5. They are holding the $50 savings bonds they earned as a reward. Behind them are Aida Lacy and Christi Woodruff representing the Troup Banking Center, one of the three banks contributing savings bonds for winners of this contest.

Honorable mention certificate winners in Grades 6-8 include Mallory Roberts in Taylor's eighth grade class at Arp Junior High School; Alexa Faraimo in Wendi McCann's seventh grade class at Arp Junior High School; Ashley Johnson in Carla Becker's sixth grade class at Troup Middle School; and Ashley Stephens in Wendi McCann's seventh grade class at Arp Junior High School.

Judges for the 2006 Composition Competition were Dora Carlyle, Ruth Cole, Linda Kay Evans, Essie Massingill, Kathleen McElroy, Navoleine Roddy, Juanece Smith and Dee Brock.

For more information about the Cameron - J. Jarvis Troup Municipal Librar y and the Friends of the Troup Library, call 903-842-3101.