By Special to the Town Crier

The Los Altos Historical Commission has announced the winners of the 17th annual Margaret Thompson Essay Contest.

The entries, on the theme of “Our Treasured Los Altos Landmarks,” were written in the form of a letter to the editor, or as a newspaper article, recommending the preservation of a variety of landmarks, such as parks, buildings, statues and the Civic Center’s apricot orchard.

This annual event is sponsored and judged by the Los Altos Historical Commission, in cooperation with the Association of the Los Altos History Museum.

The winners will be honored at 6 p.m. Tuesday with an ice-cream social at the new History Museum patio.

Following the social, Mayor King Lear will present the winners with awards at the City Council meeting.

Winners at each grade level will receive $50 for first place, $25 for second place and $10 for third place. All entrants will receive a certificate of participation.

This year’s winners are as follows:

Third grade

First place: Sarah Heidmann, Oak School; second place, Stephanie Yanaga, Loyola School; third place, Ryan Auerbach, Oak School.

Fourth grade

First place, Meredith Dozier, Springer School; second place, Stacy Johnson, Oak School.

Fifth grade

First place, Sarah Vorhaus, Santa Rita School; second place, Hallie Keenan, Santa Rita School; third place, Morgan Hamel, Santa Rita School.

Sixth grade

First place, Stephen Kwong, Bullis School; second place, Jahnavi Pendharkar, Oak School; third place, Peter Sampson, Santa Rita School.