The Gorham Republican Committee announced eighth grader Aislyn McLean as this year’s winner of the Madison Prize for Written Excellence.

This essay contest was open to all Gorham Middle School (GMS) students who live in Gorham. This year there were entries from 37 talented and thoughtful students answering the question: “Is the United States a Republic or a Democracy? Explain Why Our Form of Government is Better.” Entries were scored on knowledge, clarity of ideas, and persuasiveness. One winner and two runners-up were selected by the Committee. The first-place winner was awarded a $250 scholarship and the runners-up each received a scholarship of $100.

In competition with many strong contenders, eighth graders Logan Vail and Moortada Beshir were this year’s runners-up.

The scholarships are typically awarded in person at the GMS Spring Assembly. This year, due to coronavirus, GMS principal Quinton Donahue hosted a Facebook Live event on May 21 to announce the winners.

The committee would like to thank the GMS staff for its support and all the students who participated for their hard work and their passion for knowledge.