Four years ago, I decided to start a local Youth Poetry Contest to encourage children ages 1st-12th grade to write and express themselves in words. This year was our biggest participation with 420 youth from 15 local school districts. Supported by Dixie Poets, Washington School District and Tuachan Saturday market which is where it started with encouragement from Rose Marie Broussard, it is now going strong.
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| Joyce Kohler does a group poem with the audience before the awards. |
This year's poems were based on the theme of "Remembering." It's amazing the depth of expression and understanding in these students poems. It was difficult to judge them but we selected 1st, 2nd, 3rd and honorable mentions in five different age groups. Judges were from local poetry groups.
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| The happy talented winners plus judge Shane Williams in red and me on left |
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| Local poets enjoy Joyce Kohler's reading of her award winning poems |
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| Thanks for RoseMarie for taking photos, Gary Christian, Shane Williams and Sue Leth for helping judge, Virginia Grenier for the gift books and Dixie Poets and Red Rock Writers for prize money donated. |
What a great idea. My grandson showed me his blog on his computer when I saw him on Saturday. This is to encourage students to write and communicate with others in his class. I was amazed at his talent (of course, being his Gram). Looks like you have started something grand.
ReplyDeleteTo the students: Poetry is your view that offers an enhancement of the world.
ReplyDeleteVisualizing your world through poetry
offers a new and greater experience to
an ordinary circumstance. I so enjoyed
reading poetic "Rememberances" of the
your youthful experience this past week.
Write poetry - Read poetry!!
Sue S. Leth