Indiana—The culmination of Indiana Conference's first annual Scripture Song Contest was Sabbath afternoon, March 10, when six students and one classroom group were awarded nearly $300 in prize money at the annual Musical Festival held on the campus of Indiana Academy in Cicero. "I believe one of the hallmarks of a good Adventist Christian education must be students who can defend their core beliefs with scripture they have memorized," says Mark Haynal, Indiana Conference education superintendent. This annual contest was established to highlight the importance of scripture in Adventist education, while at the same time providing students with an enjoyable and rewarding creative experience.

More than 30 students submitted songs for this year's contest. Taking first place in the upper grades division was Keiko Ito, from Terre Haute Adventist School. Keiko sang her setting of Psalm 71:1–3 for the afternoon concert. Elizabeth Brandenburg, from Evansville Adventist School, took second place; and Deanna Bullard, from Terre Haute Adventist School, took third place.

In the lower grades division, Aniston Newman, from Terre Haute Adventist School, took first place for his setting of Psalm 106:1–2. Second place was awarded to Genesis Evia from Evansville Adventist School. Bethany Morrow and Kenta Ito, both students at Terre Haute Adventist School, tied for third place.

This year's winners in the group category for scripture songs written by a family or a classroom were the second, third, and fourth graders with their teacher Bonny Smith at Door Prairie Adventist School in LaPorte, Ind. The Music Festival audience enjoyed a video presentation of Smith and her students performing their song based on Ruth 1:16.

Inaugurating a new Music Festival tradition, the festival choir sang a choral arrangement of the scripture song that won grand prize, which was a stirring setting of Joshua 1:16, written by Trevor Memmer and Treston Short, students at Evansville Adventist School.

Indiana Conference's second annual Scripture Song Contest begins with the start of the new school year, August 13. Family and classroom groups, as well as Adventist students in public schools, home schools, or church schools, are encouraged to submit entries by December 31. For more information about the contest, please visit: www.multiagelearninglabs.com/.

Mark Haynal, Ed.D., Indiana Conference education superintendent