A crowd of about 50 people attended an award ceremony on Aug. 28 for the “My Dreams for My Community” essay contest sponsored by the Adirondack Center for Writing and Adirondack Voters for Change. Submissions were judged in two categories: Youth (ages 13 – 18) and Young Adult (ages 19 – 25). The crowd watched as six of the prize winners read their winning essays, four in-person and two via video. Those who read their essays included: Adalyne Perryman of Lake Placid (honorable mention, young adult), Evan Beech of Westport (third place, youth), Lee Ames of Canton (second place, young adult), Kaidance Spooner of Keeseville (second place, youth), Jacob Andre of Peru (first place, young adult) and Emma Anand of Warrensburg (first place, youth). In the photo above, from left, are Thea Kennedy of Bolton Landing (honorable mention, youth), Spooner, Perryman, Anand and Beech. (Photo provided)