The La Crosse County Library recently announced the results of the 2008 Bookmark Design Contest. Almost 2,000 area K-12 students submitted entries in this annual event. After initially narrowing down the field to about 500 bookmarks, bookmarks were judged on originality, creativity, book- or library-oriented content and effort and care in work. The judges’ votes were then tallied by the youth services librarians.

First-place bookmarks are now on display at all La Crosse County Library locations (Bangor, Campbell, Holmen, Onalaska and West Salem). Honorable Mentions are on display at the branch serving that student’s school district.

First-place and honorable mentions all receive certificates. In addition, first-place students get to choose a book of their choice from the library catalog. First-place bookmarks are also available at each county library branch for patron use.

First-place winners from area schools included:

Zoie LaBarge, a kindergartener at Coulee Region Christian School in West Salem

Austin C. Olson, a seventh-grader at St. Paul’s Lutheran School in Bangor

Caley Springborn, and eighth-grader at West Salem Middle School.

Honorable mention awards were given to the following students:

West Salem Elementary: Courtney Koepp, Anna Olson

West Salem Middle School: Marissa Massoth, Jennifer Schlimgen

Coulee Region Christian School: Arne Hatlevig, Bene Hatlevig, Eric Katsma, Jaylene Abeyta, Jacob Cuda

Christ St. John’s Lutheran School: Joshua Dummer, Megan Schauf, Maggie Schultz, Angela Wierzbicki, Amber Kindt

St. Paul’s Lutheran School: Grant Manke, Kaitlyn Stratman, Haylee Leonard, Ashley Urbanek, Nathan Kotek, Tyler Herman, Jordan Wehrs

Bangor Elementary: Brenna Whalen, Brianna Bores, Cora Kostuch, Hadden Diehlmann

Bangor High School: Amy Wilcox

Home school: Cloe Noffke, Nathan Gasperich, Grace Gasperich, Toni Paisley

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