Last week, The Covington News and the Main Street Program, for the second year, honored winners of the Thanksgiving essay contest.

Awards were given to elementary winner Duke Smith, middle-school winner Elizabeth Baker, and high-school winner Alli Coberth. Their essays, both touching and humorous, can be read at covnews.com. Each received a Kindle Fire.

We also were impressed with the efforts of the first-grade class of Mrs. Diana Wright of Mansfield Elementary School. Not only did the entire class write essays, but the students came out on a very dreary night to be a part of the ceremony.

It’s this type of enthusiasm on the part of all of the participants that gives us cheer, and also gives us hope that the written word is not going to become a relic of the past.

Thanks again to each of our participants.