For the past several years, The Star has run a design a stamp contest in conjunction with the Youth Stamp Fair sponsored by the Ventura County Philatelic Society and the Anacapla Middle School Stamp Club. Last year was an exception because I was hospitalized with a gallbladder problem at the time the contest would have been arranged.

Unfortunately, although the contest has attracted many entries, there has been no way in the past to show the winning entries to anyone other than those who attended the Youth Stamp Fair or the awards night. This year, with the establishment of The Stamp Stump, we can finally share the winners with others.

The designs come as classroom projects and individual entries and are judged by members of the Venetura County Philatelic Society. Winners are selected in three age groups, which have varied from year to year based on the number and distribution of entries. This year, the categories were 7 and under, 8-11 and 12 and over.

The prizes for the design a stamp, cachet (pictorial envelope) and guess the number of stamps in the jar contests will be presented at the Ventura County Philatelic Society meeting at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Church of the Foothills, 6279 Foothill Road, Ventura. By now, all the winners should have received their invitations in the mail.

7 and under

First: Gabrielle Wright of Ventura.

Second: Kylie Rice of Simi Valley.

Third: Alex Boughan of Simi Valley.

8 to 11

Ariella Mendoza of Ventura.

Second (tie):

Darian Levine of Thousand Oaks ...

,,, and George Caranica of Thousand Oaks.

Third (tie)

Christian Diaz of Oxnard ...

.... and Taylor Garza of Thousand Oaks.

11 and over

First: Nancy Maravilla of Oxnard.

Second: Sarah Harris of Ventura.
Only two students entered this age level.