The winners of the annual “Dear Editor” contest have been announced. The contest is sponsored each year by the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation, The Washington Post and Michael Diener and Associates, CPA.

Now in its 15th year, “Dear Editor” is an editorial writing contest that responds to an article that has been published in newspapers or other print media concerning a denial of civil rights or an acceptance of multicultural values.

“Dear Editor” contest winners for 2012 will be awarded their certificates and awards at the Tinner Hill Blues Festival Saturday in Cherry Hill Park.

Starting this year, the contest hosts two separate categories for high school and middle school entrants. In the high school category, first place went to Sarah Miller, a ninth-grade student at George Mason High School. Mason ninth-graders Hannah Kemp and Anthony James-Pala took second and third, respectively. The first honorable mention went to Yelim Alyssa Yang, an 11th-grade student at Oakton High School, and the second honorable mention was awarded to Eva Reynolds, an 11th-grade student at Mason.

In the middle school category, eighth-grade student Anisa Mathews of Luther Jackson Middle School took first place. Second and third were awarded to Cora Potosky and Treyshon Peters, respectively, both eighth-graders at Luther Jackson. The first honorable mention went to Jaelyn Williams at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School.