Andrea Jeannin, Caitlin Teeters and Emily Knapp already are starting their own legends, by writing winning entries in a contest to celebrate Kansans they consider to be prominent.

The three students finished first the 2006 Kid’s Choice Legendary Kansans Essay Contest, organized by The Legends at Village West, a new shopping center in Wyandotte County. Their essays – about “lesser known, yet truly legendary Kansans” – will place their subjects in featured areas at the center:

¢ Andrea, in eighth grade at Tonganoxie Middle School, wrote about her brother-in-law, Spc. Lucas A. Frantz, who was killed by a sniper Oct. 18 in Mosul, Iraq, while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

¢ Caitlin, in eighth grade at Piper Middle School, wrote about Edward Dwight Jr., the first black American to be trained as an astronaut and who later became a prominent sculptor.

¢ Emily, in seventh grade at Basehor-Linwood Middle School, wrote about Dorothy Gale, the character created by L. Frank Baum and made famous by “The Wizard of Oz.”