ESSAYISTS SALUTE IMPORTANT PEOPLE.

Byline: Tere Marshall Daily News Staff Writer

Family members, teachers and other mentors were honored by junior high school students in a recent Rotary Club essay contest that asked young writers to tell of someone who exemplified the virtues of truth, fairness, goodwill and service.

The winning essays were read aloud recently at a Rotary meeting with the winners' parents and the subjects of their writings in attendance.

Josh Conant of Sierra Vista Junior High wrote about a past coach, Richard Hilton. ``He was an excellent coach because he always leveled with us; that is, we knew when we did well and he told us, `straight up,' when we could do better.''

Schoolmate Patrick Bowers wrote about Annie Terrones of Canyon Country. ``I chose my youth group leader. . . . Even when she is working she is making the world a better place by being a better person and lighting up everyone's day.''

Tim Jennings of La Mesa Junior High School chose his English teacher. ``Mrs. Shehorn doesn't judge people by color, sex, size, politics, age or beliefs, but works to make people's differences bring them closer together.''

Daniel Willams of Santa Clarita Christian School paid tribute to his grandfather, who died on April 18. ``I wanted to write this essay in dedication to my loving, sweet grandfather. I am very grateful and honored to have had a grandfather that was so generous to his children and such a giving person.''

Vanessa Brewer of Santa Clarita Christian wrote about her stepfather. ``He is always willing to help in any way possible; in growing spiritually, with homework, or even just to show you how to make a paper airplane.''

Randie Bishop of Arroyo Seco Junior High School chose an uncle who recently died. ``He told me that lies have a way of growing and forming a life of their own. To me, that meant that once you tell one lie, you will have to tell another lie to justify the first lie and other lies to justify the first two lies and on and on until finally the truth is the only thing that will get you out of the lies.''

Keara Osborne of Placerita Junior High School wrote of an elementary school teacher, Donna Keller. ``She is easy to talk to about anything, because she listens with an open heart. She likes me for who I am, not who she wants me to be.''

Zahra Karparvar of Arroyo Seco Junior High honored her uncle. ``The way my uncle feels about truthfulness is, if you lie to yourself, then you don't trust yourself. And when you don't trust yourself, you can't trust anybody. And when you can't trust anybody, you can't have any friendships.''

Alex Winter of Placerita wrote about his uncle, Jim Breeding, who has helped his family through tough times, especially after Alex's father died. ``He is always there when I need him. He is a person I look up to and want to be like.''

Brett Bissett of La Mesa chose his father. ``He never lies, except of course when he has to, to be polite.''

Amber Mann of Placerita wrote about her grandfather. ``Forget about our debts, as we forgive our debtors, a bald shiny-head man once said. . . . He taught me to set goals and to achieve what I wanted to achieve. . . . For all of these special reasons, I love my grandpa with all my heart.''