PIQUA — At a time of discord in the nation, Edison State Community College continues to encourage its students to write essays in which they explore their personal challenges in coming to peace and reconciliation with obstacles they have faced.

In conjunction with the annual Dayton Literary Peace Prize celebration of the end of the war in Bosnia in 1995, Edison State student writers this year have explored a variety of topics ranging from immigration to America to family conflicts to suicide.

Edison State Professor William Loudermilk said, “Judging was difficult as so many fine essays were submitted. After much consideration, the following students were selected: first place, Mitch Bolin; second place, Matthew Farrier; and third place, Heidi Bundy.”

Bolin, 32, of Piqua, is the father of a 4-year-old son and is an integration lab technician at Emerson. He is majoring in electro-mechanical engineering.

Farrier, 17, of Rossburg, is in the College Credit Plus program and is a junior at Ansonia High School. He plays a variety of positions on the varsity basketball team at the high school but plays “primarily point guard.”

Bundy, 23, of Sidney plans to seek admission to the Registered Nursing program at Edison State.