PORTLAND — Six Maine students have won prizes in the 1990 AAA Traffic Safety Poster State contest.

In the seventh- to 12th-grade category, the winner was Jesse Barnes of Burnham; second place went to Gareth Warren of Temple; and third place was awarded to Stacey Eldridge of Ellsworth. Traffic Safety themes illustrated in their category were “Traffic Signs and Signals Are For Everyone” and “Signal Your Intentions.”

The kindergarten to sixth-grade students illustrated “Look All Ways Before Crossing” and “Play Away From Traffic.” First- and third-prize winners were Leslie Cullens and Sasha Corsetti, both of Windham. Second place was awarded to Kelly Demmons of Gardiner. The six winners of the Maine AAA Traffic Safety Poster Contest received U.S. Savings Bonds totaling $700.

According to Ellen Kornetsky, AAA public affairs and traffic safety manager, 262 students throughout the state entered traffic safety posters in the contest, and 16 art teachers participated in the project.

“The poster contest is a great way to teach safety concepts because it’s so much fun,” she said. “The creativity this project brings out in the kids is a joy to see.”

Judging of the 50 finalists took place at the AAA administrative office in Portland recently. The five judges were: artist/graphic designer Rachel Shafter; Jim Monell, highway safety coordinator, Bureau of Public Safety (co-sponsor of the contest); Chief Robert Schwartz, South Portland Police Department; Glenys Lovett, co-chairman, Maine Highway Safety Commission; and Barbara Duff, marketing manager, AAA Maine.