COMMERCE CITY - More than 300 elementary students from eight Commerce City schools competed in the city's annual fire hydrant painting contest. The contest was open to kindergarten through fifth- grade students. Each student submitted initial drawings, which were judged by a group from the Recreation Center. The judges selected a first-, second- and third-place winner from each school. The first-place winners then painted their drawing on a fire hydrant near their school.

Pictures of the painted hydrants were distributed to members of the Commerce City Cultural Council, and they voted on the top three hydrants. The winners of the citywide contest are:

1 st place: Mercedes Rivera (Monaco Elementary)

2 nd place (tie): Christina Folsom (Dupont Elementary) and Paula Oliva (Thimmig Elementary)

3 rd place: Kaitlyn Yuen (Belle Creek Charter School)

All the winners were recognized at the City Council meeting on Oct. 15 with a certificate and a monetary prize. The first-place winner in the citywide competition also earned $100 and the school winners each received $20.

The program is made possible, in part, with support from the schools. Each school will receive $50 toward its art program. The Commerce City Cultural Council, Commerce City Parks and Recreation Department, the South Adams County Water and Sanitation District and the South Adams County Fire District sponsor the contest.

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Fire hydrant painting winners:

Citywide winners

1 st place -Mercedes Rivera, Monaco Elementary

2 nd place- Christina Folsom, Dupont Elementary and Paula Oliva, Thimmig Elementary

3 rd place- Kaitlyn Yuen, Belle Creek Charter School

School winners

Alsup Elementary

1 st place- Esmeralda Quezada Frias

2 nd place- Esteban Corral-Silva

3 rd place- Julian Guzman

Belle Creek Charter School

1 st place- Kaitlyn Yuen

2 nd place- Sophia Wright

3 rd place- Eli Savno

Dupont Elementary

1 st place- Mario Fraire

2 nd place- Dominique Rodriguez

3 rd place- Christian Marquez

Hanson Elementary

1 st place- Christina Folsom

2 nd place- Sofia Mosqueda

3 rd place- Zachary Lara

Monaco Elementary

1 st place- Mercedes Espinoza-Rivera

2 nd place- Aleena Delgado

3 rd place- Martin Santiesteban

Rose Hill Elementary

1 st place- Juan Zazueta

2 nd place- Brixaren Osuna

3 rd place- Javier Rios

Second Creek

1 st place- Erica Alire

2 nd place-Taylor Biggs

3 rd place- Bailee Abke

Thimmig

1 st place- Paula Valverde Oliva

2 nd place- Nagisa Her

3 rd place- Abraham Trejo