Clarion Free Library Announces Winners of Poetry Contest

Jacob Deemer

Jacob Deemer

Published May 9, 2023 4:25 am
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CLARION, Pa. — Since the beginning of the year, Youth Services Librarian at Clarion Free Library, Rose Slike, has put out contests and challenges geared towards children and teen participation.

Starting January with the “I Have a Dream” Essay Contest and followed shortly by a Leprechaun themed creative writing contest for the month of March, a contest for April seemed apparent. Being that April is National Poetry month, Slike thought it best to celebrate the month with a poetry contest for all people still in school eligible to participate.

Judging April’s contest was Clarion’s own Tabassam Shah.

Tabassam Shah is the author of Red & Crescent Moons, her debut poetry collection which was awarded The Watershed Journal Literary Group’s Long-form Publishing prize and was published by this Brookville, Pennsylvania, independent cooperative publisher in December 2022.

Tabassam grew up in the Southern Appalachian foothills of the Carolinas and now resides in Northern Appalachia in the Pennsylvania Wilds region. Her writing is rooted in Appalachia and is also a reflection of immigrant Pakistani family life in this rural landscape.

Tabassam’s poems have recently appeared in the literary magazines The Watershed Journal and The Bridge Literary Arts Journal. She is a community activist devoted to amplifying progressive voices in rural Appalachia. She participates in regional writing and literary groups to help her continue refining her craft.

She is an active member of the group Poets Against Racism and Hate and reads her social justice poetry at their events and publishes blogs and poems on their website.

Tabassam judged around 27 participants’ submissions, with a couple of participants having more than one submission. Out of those 27, she chose 5five winners that she felt showcased the individual’s talent and the genre of poetry the best.

These winners are: Ethan Roberts for their poem “Sleight of Hand” (Haiku); Leanne Wentling for her poem “The Day She Died (Free Verse); Estella Hicks for her poem “4 Season” (Free Verse); Carolyn Stevenson for her poem “Bells and a Chime” (Blackout); and Megan Hetrick for her poem “To Retreat from the Roaring Tides” (Blackout). Tabassam also felt Elena Scheftic’s poem “Lock” earned an honorable mention.

Thankful for the opportunity to judge the entries, Tabassam stated, “it was such fun reading all the entries”.

She would also like to thank the students for “keeping poetry alive.” All submissions can be found on the Clarion Free Library’s website under the Recent Posts widget on the homepage.

May’s Contest and Challenge — Deadline June 14

May’s contest and challenge are still ongoing with a deadline for submissions being June 14. For May’s writing contest, students are asked to write a personal essay detailing why they are proud to be an American.

Essays should be between 250 to 500 words or up to 3 pages. One winner will be selected from Grades 3 to 6; Grades 7 to 9; and Grades 10 to 12. The grade should fall under the participant’s 22/23 school year grade.

Submissions should be emailed to Rose Slike at rslike@clarionfreelibrary.org.

May also has a corresponding drawing contest. For this contest, participants are asked to draw a scene, symbol, and/or act that demonstrates what they think of when given the phrase “Land of the Free” and the meaning they take from it. All medias of art are permitted as well as style.

Participants must be in high school or just graduating from it—their grades corresponding with their 22/23 school year grade level. Submissions should be no bigger (and are ideally) 18in by 24in in dimensions and hangable with little to no damage to the art piece. No words should be on or in the drawing, as it should be able to speak for itself.

Drawings should be submitted in person with the artist’s first and last name, their school, grade, and contact information written clearly on the back. All artwork will be displayed throughout the library until the end of July.

One winner will be selected from Grades 3 to 6; Grades 7 to 9; and Grades 10 to 12. Each group will also have one runner-up. For questions, please email Rose Slike at rslike@clarionfreelibrary.org.

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