During this time of year, the Legislative Building normally is filled with lawmakers, legislative staffers, lobbyists, tourists and school groups. But this afternoon, about 250 people gathered in the building’s Rotunda for a ceremony honoring a group of Washington students who placed high in a contest combining reading and writing.

About 50 students, plus their families, were on hand for the 2008-09 Letters About Literature awards ceremony. Secretary of State Sam Reed and State Librarian Jan Walsh were on hand to recognize and congratulate the three champions and the semifinalists who attended.

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The Level I champion (grades 4-6) was Laura Claypool, a sixth-grader at Tillicum Middle School in Bellevue. The Level II champ (grades 7-8) is Austin Horjus, an eighth-grader at Vancouver School of Arts and Academics. The Level III winner (grades 9-12) is Michael Bouterse, an 11th-grader from Fox Island who goes to Gig Harbor High School.

Congrats to all of those students who were recognized today, as well as the 2,379 students who took part in the contest.