PEABODY — The stories of America’s lesser-known Founding Fathers took center stage at City Hall this week as three Peabody students were recognized for their winning essays in the America 250 Essay Contest.

Mayor Ted Bettencourt honored first-place winner Christian LeBlanc and runners-up Courtney Nakabiri and Ariani Jimenez Infante, presenting each student with a citation and award during a ceremony attended by family members.

The contest, inspired by Brooksby Village resident Sandy Kozien, challenged students to research overlooked signers of the Declaration of Independence. Kozien also funded the student prizes. LeBlanc received a $300 cash prize, while Nakabiri and Jimenez Infante each received $150.

The ceremony was held alongside the city’s reproduction of the Declaration of Independence, displayed in Wiggin Auditorium, as part of Peabody’s America 250 commemoration — a fitting reminder that, 250 years later, the nation’s founding story is still inspiring a new generation of historians.