A class assignment on writing extended metaphors led to victory for three Liberty Middle School students. Sixth graders Maddie Sager, Ryan Lunn and Ben Jenkins took the top three spots in a statewide essay contest on drugs and alcohol, sponsored by the Colorado Law Enforcement Officers' Association.

Sager earned first place honors and a $100 prize for her essay that compared drugs with being in jail. Lunn won second place honors and a $50 prize, while Jenkins received third place honors and a $25 prize. Their teacher, Pam Widmann, received a $200 prize which she will use to attend a writing workshop for teachers.

Widmann said the essay contest offered a fun way for her students to work on both reading and writing skills. In order to fill out the contest entry form, they had to use technical, non-fiction reading skills. The class was working on extended metaphors, which is establishing one metaphor at the beginning of a piece and selecting related verbs and adjectives to bring the reader back to the same metaphor throughout. So, Widmann had students write extended metaphors relating to the contest topic of drugs and alcohol.

Officers from the Colorado Law Enforcement Officers' Association visited Liberty May 8 th to congratulate the winners and present them with their awards. The students will also be recognized in the association's newsletter.

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