BEST ENTRY — Winning Bridgton Lions Club “Peace Poster” created by Samara Morris.

Samara Morris is the winner of the Bridgton Lions Club Peace Poster Contest.

An awards ceremony was recently held to honor Lake Region Middle School students for various achievements.

Bridgton Lions Club members were in attendance to present and honor the winners of the recent Lions International Peace Poster Contest. This art contest encourages young people to express their visions of peace with “Children Know Peace” as the theme for 2011-2012. Each entry was judged by Lions members Bob Foster, Bob Hatch and Dan Macdonald.

Students created 35 entries with the following winners chosen: first place to Samara Morris; second place to Kyle Campbell; third place to Michael Bryan; and honorable mention to Emily Simkins. Samara was presented with a plaque and a $50 award for her first place poster. The other winners received certificates and monetary awards.

Lions members praised Samara for her artwork and her originality. Twenty-four International finalists will be selected representing the work of more than 350,000 young participants worldwide. The grand prizewinner will attend Lions Day at the United Nations and will receive a $5,000 award.

TOP POSTER CREATORS — Pictured at the Lake Region Middle School Awards Ceremony are left to right (rear): Ernie Fields, president of the Bridgton Lions Club and Bob Hatch, chairman of the Peace Poster Contest; (front) Michael Bryan, Samara Morris and Emily Simkins.

The Bridgton Lions Club thanks all the students who entered the contest and is cheering for Samara’s poster to become an International finalist. The Bridgton Lions Club plans to promote a Peace Poster contest in the fall of 2012.