The “My Hero” essay contest is sponsored annually by the Foxboro Jaycees and open to all third graders.

The students are asked to write about someone who has made an impact on them and changed their lives, or about someone in their lives of whom they are very proud.

“This year’s essays [2008] were amazing and written with so much emotion,” said Jaycees contest coordinator Kris Long. “It was very difficult to pick a winner -- the essays were all winners and the kids who wrote them should be very proud of themselves.”

The third graders wrote about there nanas and grandpas who have fought or lost their lives to cancer, their kid brothers and sisters and how they take care of them, and moms and dads who encourage them to be themselves.

“Parents, guardians and teachers, you all have done a great job molding these kids and you deserve credit as well,” said Long, herself a mother of five. “Great job to each child that submitted essays.”