By Town Crier Staff Report

A new group of essay winners have been announced in the Los Altos Historical Commission’s annual Margaret Thompson Historical Essay Contest.

In this 16th year, the year 2000 theme was “Recreation Remembered” with the emphasis on toys, books and games from the past. Students were asked to represent a newspaper reporter and interview an older friend, neighbor or family member why the item was important to them.

The essay contest, for grades 3-6, was started by Margaret Thompson who was on the Los Altos Historical Commission for seven years. She began the contest in hopes students would develop a love of history and appreciation of their community at an early age.

Historical commissioner Janet Freeland was chairwoman of the contest and the judges were Nan Geschke, Liz and Paul Nyberg, Shirley Stevens, Doris Hawks-Torbeck, Beverly McChesney, Don McDonald, Sally Palmer, Rory Kaplan, Ann Slocum, Mark Sandoval and Janet Freeland.

The 2000 year winners and their schools are:

Third grade winners: first place, Jessica Panec, Springer School; second place: Sarah Montgomery, Loyola School; third place: Anna Powell, Santa Rita School.

Fourth grade winners: first place; Arianna Monaco, Loyola School; second place: Shalina V. Chen, Loyola School; third place: Tony Vivoli, Oak School.

Fifth grade winners: first place: Sarah Bettman, Oak School; second place: Alison Petro, Oak School; third place: Kelsey Stricker, Oak School.

Sixth grade winners: first place: Claire Abu-Hakima, Springer School; second place: Summer Reeves, Oak School third place: Tora Chafey, Santa Rita School.

Read the winning essays at www.losaltosonline.com/eessay.html.