AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap is announcing the winning entries in the 2017 Maine Native American History and Culture Essay Contest today, and congratulates all of the participating students on their accomplishments.

"The goal of this contest is to give students an outlet to show what they've learned about the rich history of the Wabanaki peoples of Maine," said Secretary Dunlap. "We are thankful to the teachers who share this opportunity with their students, and hopeful that our participants will continue to build upon the knowledge they have gained through their Maine Native American history studies."

Open to students statewide, the annual contest requires participants to explore at least one aspect of Maine Native American history and to write an essay describing what they have learned.

This year's top contestant in the high school division is Ella Raymond, a freshman at Casco Bay High School in Portland, for her essay titled, "Authenticity, Equity, and Connectedness in Wabanaki Communities."

At the middle school level, top honors go to Saber Hanington, a seventh-grade student at Windsor Elementary School, for his entry, "Farming of the Dawnsmen." Second-place is awarded to Collin Joyce, a seventh-grade student at Scarborough Middle School, for his untitled essay depicting Native American resourcefulness.

Secretary Dunlap invites the first-place essayists in each category to be his guests for a day in Augusta. Students will tour the State House complex, including the Maine State Archives, where they will be able to view Maine's original treaties with native peoples and original field books of early Maine land surveyors.

Maine law Title 20-A s4706 at http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/20-A/title20-Asec4706.html requires schools to teach Maine Native American history. This contest provides Maine students with a unique opportunity to share what they have learned in their studies. The public can view the essays online at http://www.maine.gov/sos/kids/nativeamerican/winners.htm . To learn more about this contest and other student programs offered by the Office of the Secretary of State, visit http://www.maine.gov/sos/kids/index.htm .