Anita Maurer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Maurer of Jim Thorpe, copped the championship of the Annual Carbon-East Schuylkill District Catholic Youth Organization oratorical contest held this past weekend at Our Lady of the Valley School, Lansford.

An eighth grader at St. Joseph Parochial School, Jim Thorpe, she represented Immaculate Conception Catholic Parish in that community.

She won the top honor with a talk on Americanism entitled “I Can” and will advance to the Allentown Diocesan competition.

The runner-up was Maureen Martino, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Martino of Jim Thorpe, whose dissertation was “You, the Jury.”