This year we had 115 entries spread across the three divisions! Each of our 1st place winners will be receiving a gift card to Anderson's Bookshop, as well as other small gifts. Our judges certainly had their work cut out for them and so in addition to 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place winners, they also named a few Honorable Mentions that deserved some recognition!

And now... the winners!!!

High School (Grades 9-12)
1st Place: "the smell of rain is delicious" by Wendy Lee
2nd Place: "Lemons" by Evangeline Reid   
3rd Place: "Family Communication" by Eleanor Buettner 

 HONORABLE MENTION:
"Backwards Up" by Nysha Chen

 7th & 8th Grade
1st Place: "A Choice" by Kirstin Kives
2nd Place: "My Little Man" by Lauren Thompson
3rd Place: "Sandy Hook Elementary" by Talia Eraci

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
"Math on a Monday Morning" by Andrew Conwell
"Words" by Ryan Ruocco
"The Silence of Blank Space" by Sabrina Friedman
"Choices" by Sara Carrier
"The Hunter" by Niraja Surendran 

 6th Grade
1st Place: "Pablo, Changes and Ham" by Shlok Sharma
2nd Place: "Away on Holiday" by Rachel C. England
3rd Place: "The Victim" by Maddy Engels

 HONORABLE MENTIONS:
"Choices" by Calle Mennecke
"Grains of Time" by Duncan Fox
"Perspectives" by Aishani Shukla
"Notice" by Shannon Piper
"My Heart Hopes..." by Aishani Dixit
"Night" by Joy Chi
 

We'd like to once again to our wonderful judges for this year: from North Central College, Professor Jennifer Jackson (6th grade division) and Professor John Stanley (7th & 8th grade division), and author James Kennedy (High School division.)

Looking for past winners? Follow the links below to past year' winning poems!

2012 Winners

2011 Winners (coming soon)