Nine elementary school students were honored Monday night for their drawings of historic town buildings in the Bel Air Historic Preservation Commission's annual poster contest.
Results of the competition were announced at the meeting of the Board of Town Commissioners.
Parents and other family members shot away with their cellphones and cameras, as this year's winners were called to receive their prizes and then gathered in front of the town commissioners' dais to show off their drawings.
Students at Homestead-Wakefield Elementary and Harford Day schools entered this year's competition and submitted more than 250 entries, Tim Coale, of the Historic Preservation Commission, said.
Students are asked to draw their interpretation of historic buildings, either by viewing them in person or using reference books such as "Bel Air: The Town Through its Buildings," by Marilynn Larew, commission member Peg Lucas said.
This year's first-place winner was Nathan Peisinger, of Homestead Wakefield, who drew the Bel Air Reckord Armory.
Second place went to Estella Halsey, also of Homestead Wakefield, who drew the old Alex Fulford Bottling Plant, a onetime carriage house on the Fulford estate that was on Fulford Avenue.
Third-place finisher Ross Smith, of Harford Day School, drew Mrs. Dunnigan's Hotel and Restaurant, the building at 33 W. Courtland, on the corner of Bond and Courtland streets.
There were also three honorable mentions from each school.
Honorable mentions from Homestead-Wakefield were: Dahlia Neiser, the Wren Box in the 300 block of Williams Street; Maya Pantazelos, former Bel Air Post Office (Historical Society building); and Emma Dehart, The Homestead, 221 Linwood Ave.
Honorable mentions from Harford Day were: Cavender McCoy, Alex Fulford Bottling Plant; Savannah Metzger, Hopkins House, 141 N. Main; and Anne-Katrin Urzynicok, Norris House, which stood at 31 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
The first-, second- and third-place winners received savings bonds from Peoples Bank. Those receiving honorable mention received gift cards from local restaurants.
As is done each year, the top drawings will be made into place mats for use at local restaurants, including Friendly's, Shamrock Coffee, Buontempo Brothers, Greek Village and Main Street Tower.
Town Commissioner Edward Hopkins presented Coale with a proclamation recognizing May as Preservation Month in Bel Air. Hopkins noted that many owners of historic buildings in the town "take an active interest" in preserving them.