The contest was open to all sixth- and 10th-grade students from county public and private schools.

Students wrote on the topic, "What Mental Retardation Means To Me."

Winning essays answered the following questions:

What is your general perception of people with mental retardation?

In what ways are they the same as you?

In what ways are they different from you?

What barriers exist in society that limit a person with mental retardation in their daily activities and involvement in their community?

What can you do to help people with mental retardation overcome these barriers?

Tenth-grade students were asked to submit at least 250-word essays, while sixth-grade students were asked to write essays of at least 150 words. First-place winners get $100; second-place, $75; and third-place, $50.

The prizes will be awarded at the Arc's annual dinner May 1 at Tiffany's Banquet Center in Brookfield. Each student, along with an adult guest, has been invited.

The Arc and MCAR Inc. have been providing services to people with mental retardation and their families for more than 50 years. The agency was previously named Mercer County Association for the Retarded Inc.

Although everyone has their own personal experiences, I feel everyone could benefit from a greater awareness of mental retardation. Especially in this day of accepting people for their differences and not neglecting people for them.

People's general perception of those with mental retardation usually depends on their own personal experiences with them. I personally have not spent a lot of time with someone with mental retardation, but for the short time that I have, we had a pleasant, enjoyable experience.

Someone diagnosed with mental retardation doesn't differ a lot from a person that isn't. We both have feelings. We can both be hurt and cry. All of us can love someone and be loved. Both of us can acquire a job and work hard at it. Another way we are similar is that we can all experience the ups and downs of high school, like the fun of dances or the pain of being made fun of.

There are a few ways that a person with mental retardation is a little different. One way is that we learn differently. We have different techniques of learning that work best for us. Someone might take a different route to read or write but we end up in the same place eventually.

In this day and age there are still many barriers that stand in the way of someone with mental retardation developing their true potential. Many people still do not accept people mentally challenged as an equal. Another way is that someone might be prejudiced to others' disability. Sometimes a person might be discriminated against because of the way they look. Many people haven't experienced how we are all the same and can do a lot of the same things.

For the world to start to treat them as an equal we need to educate people on this subject. This way they can realize how there is no reason to discriminate against mentally challenged people. We need to get people more involved and to be more caring and welcoming. If we showed them how much they can do, maybe the wall would finally fall and they can get more jobs and live the life they deserve.

In the process of writing this essay, I realized my own lack of knowledge concerning those with mental retardation. Too often, we only see the differences. We need to spend more time acknowledging the similarities. Now we need to take this to our schools, where we can educate the young. They are our future. We are the ones that can make sure the mentally retarded are treated equally.

Do I have a general perception of people with mental retardation? Sure I do, but it's the same as my perception of people in general. Each and every person is an individual, with their own personality, abilities, and needs. The fact that someone has mental retardation doesn't make him or her any less of an individual, so why should people and society treat them like they are?

We are all different from one another in some aspect, whether that's appearance, background, physical or intellectual ability. Yet we are all very much alike, sharing the same physical and emotional needs. People with mental retardation have the same basic needs: to be accepted, to laugh, to love, and to be loved, as anyone else does. A person's desire for friends and family isn't any less just because they have mental retardation.

There are varying degrees of ability among people with mental retardation. Different people function at different skill levels depending on the severity of their mental retardation. Many people with mental retardation are able to get along quite well in society and in the workplace. There are some tasks they may not be capable of performing, and some skills they may never master, but there are also many jobs that they can do and do well.

People with mental retardation often face barriers in society. These barriers are often created because of discrimination, and people tend to discriminate against anyone who is different from them. Sometimes people are afraid of what they don't understand, and as a result may exclude individuals with mental retardation from community involvement. Some employers may not be willing to hire someone, or have them work with the public just because they have mental retardation. Old stereotypes and past practices such as isolating or institutionalizing persons with mental retardation have made these barriers difficult to overcome.

We need to work together to help include people with mental retardation in daily activities in our lives and communities. The barriers that often exclude them from participating can be overcome by educating the public as to the positive contributions that people with mental retardation can make. As individuals we can all try to make this happen by doing whatever we can to treat everyone with respect and equality. Even in our schools students can stand up for the rights of other students who may have mental retardation by including them in all activities, defending them if there is teasing and/or name-calling, and genuinely befriending them. Learning to accept all individuals into our communities would remove barriers and greatly improve our society.

Not all people should be put together into one group and perceived as having the same capabilities whether they are mentally retarded or not. I think it is a mistake that is made by many people in society who try to label groups of people and not see everyone as an individual. Almost every one of God's creatures has something to offer society in some way.

There are many forms of mental retardation. It can be in the form of a Down syndrome child, to one who has a brain injury, or one who has autism. A person with no physical or mental limitations that someone can see would seem to have the upper hand in our society. It seems very unfortunate that so many would judge people because of appearance.

There have been laws and acts of government that have been made to help the handicapped fit more easily into society. This is seen with making buildings being more accessible to the physically handicapped, with ramps and automatic doors, but the public as a whole seems to have dropped the ball with the mentally handicapped. More businesses and companies need to step up to the plate and help these people to become responsible and productive citizens of society in any way they can. We all need to learn to accept every individual person for what they can do, not what they cannot do, and for who they are, not for whom they are not.

Naturally, in a world that is imperfect and not cloned, there are going to be people with certain limitations. Some people have more limitations than others. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we, the so-called normal people of society, can learn to accept those with limitations, the same way they already accept us?

What is mental retardation? The dictionary refers to it as "the condition of being slow and having a limited ability to learn and understand." My cousin is mentally retarded, and he has as much fun as anyone in the world. He loves to watch the weather channel and is fascinated by tornadoes.

To me, mental retardation means slow to learn. Even though they are different, they should be treated the same as anyone else. I always smile and treat mentally retarded people with respect.

A mentally retarded child is the same as me because we were both created by God. They like to have fun, and they enjoy the same things that everyone enjoys. I love going on field trips and at MCAR they love going on field trips too. A mentally retarded child might not be able to do everything I can, but they have fun with what they can do.

A mentally retarded child is different than me because they have a disability of some sort. Everyone in the world is different because everyone has their own personality. If everyone were the same, the world would be boring.

Some people make fun of mentally retarded children, and that causes them to not believe in themselves. There are not many programs designed for them. Some mentally retarded people might get frustrated if what they are doing is too competitive.

If you see someone making fun of a mentally retarded child, you should tell that person to knock if off. If you become friends with a mentally retarded person, you could introduce him to your friends; that way they would have more friends to do more things with. Mentally retarded people are just like you and I, and they can do whatever their hearts desire.

My mom teaches kids with special needs. She has taught me that they are really not that different. They may look, talk, and sometimes act different but they still like to play and do the same things I do. They like to eat at Pizza Hut, ride a bike, and play games too.

What makes us different is sometimes the way they might act or talk. They might learn things slower, but they still try.

I think children with mental retardation always don't get to do things because we don't take the time to ask them to, or to be their friend. Other kids might make fun of us if we don't hang out with them.

We could get kids with mental retardation more involved in things by taking time to ask them and help them learn. They should each have a buddy to do things with.

I have a friend named Adam. He is mentally retarded. Adam can tell the best jokes ever; they are so funny. He also loves Legos. He can build things I could never build. He also says the ocean is his friend. That when he goes to the beach he talks to the ocean. Adam is a really great loving person. It makes him smile and I also smile. When I tell him You are a really great friend.

They are slower than normal people. What I mean by slower is they might not know how to read. What seems easy to me seems difficult to them. I learned to be patient with Adam. When he reads me a book, I have to be patient with him because it takes him longer. When he is done reading I tell him good job and there is always that special light in his eyes lights up.

How are we the same? We are both human beings. We both get teased. When I get teased it is a joke. When they get teased it is mean teasing. That has to hurt. Adam and me like the same rides, movies, shows, and foods. Adam does not care that he has a problem. I do not care either.

This is about our differences. In regular education children sometimes have problems with something new. After having it explained to them they usually understand it. Children with a mental retardation problem can have more trouble learning something new it is more difficult for them to understand it. We are both human beings. God made us that way so we are unique.

I think they don't get involved in sports. First the coach might cut them from the team or not let them play at all. Then they might think, "Well maybe I'm not a good basketball, football, baseball, or soccer player." They might not have any friends to hang out with because kids might say, "He has a problem. Why would we want to hang out with him." Or they might tease them like call them stupid or other names.

I could help by telling them "forget about the coach you are a great player." Or I could take them to club meetings to get them involved. When I take them they might like the club and members. The members might like him or her. Then I could take them to the movies with my friends and me.

I know they are sometimes treated differently. I used to make fun of them but I changed my mind, due to Adam. He helped me. Now I thank him (because he showed me the right path to go down). Now I know and now I will never ever make fun of them again. Thanks, Adam.