Mayor David D. Ortega congratulated more than two dozen students for their winning entries for his annual “We the People” contest at an in-person reception earlier this week. More than 110 parents, students, teachers and administrators attended. The contest commemorates the September 17, 1797, signing of the United States Constitution.

“The We the People Constitution Contest promotes civic engagement, community reflection and understanding of the principles that guide our participation in our representative form of government,” said Mayor Ortega. "We were especially impressed with this year's creative entries from Scottsdale area students.”

Students could enter in three categories: 1) an art piece in any medium 2) an essay 3) an original song, video, or educational podcast. Submissions came from Cheyenne Traditional School, Cherokee and Kiva elementary schools, Desert Canyon and Mountainside middle schools, Chaparral, Coronado, Desert Mountain, and Saguaro high schools, and home-school students. Winners were selected by a panel of judges headed up by the Scottsdale branch of the American Association of University Women who use a scoring rubric and the mayor.

Here are the winners in the various categories and grades:

ART CATEGORY:

• First and second grades:
• 1st place: Caleb Mauer
• 2nd place: Maddy Parra
• 3rd place: Aya Alieha
• Third - fifth grades:
• 1st place: Éva Malizia
• Sixth-eighth grades:
• 1st place: Aislyn Sheard
• 2nd place: Nick Schroeder
• 3rd place: Saarah Chegri
• High school:
• 1st place: Brian Stevenson
• 2nd place: Sylvia Strelish

ESSAY CATEGORY:

• First and second grades:
• 1st place: Skanda Madappa
• Sixth-eighth grades:
• 1st place: Bryn Smith
• 2nd place: Brady Smith
• 3rd place: Jude Larsen
• High school:
• 1st place: Jesmina deGuzman
• 2nd place: Noah Bassett
• 3rd place: Ira Parsons

PODCAST, SONG, AND VIDEO CATEGORY:

• Sixth-eighth grades:
• 1st place: Audrey Figur
• 2nd place: Christian Bliss
• 3rd place: Addison Ward and Addison Corsi
• High school:
• 1st place: Betzy Oxlaj Castaneda, Kimberly Lopez and Linda Lopez
• 2nd place: Sienna Warner
• 3rd place: Jaythan Reyna, Joel Garcia Orozco and Jonathan Guevara

See photos of celebration and winning entries. (Credit: Scottsdale Unified School District)