Signet Classic has announced the winners of the first annual Signet Classic Scholarship Essay Contest. They are Rachel Ciprotti of Wheeler High School in Marietta, Ga.; Nam Ha of University High School in Irvine, Calif.; Jason LeMire of Montclair High School in Montclair, NJ; Caitlin Poliak of The Internation al School in Bellevue, Wash.; and Nicholas A. Reiff of Fredonia High School in Fredonia, NY. The five each won $1,000 in educational as well as a $1,500 library of Signet Classics for their schools.

The contest is open to U.S. high school juniors and seniors, who must an essay relating to the designated competition book. This year's competition book was The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West. Entries for the 1997-98 contest must be submitted by a sponsoring English teacher and postmarked by April 3, 1998. Entry forms are available from Penguin at 375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014 or its website (www.penguin.com).