By The Shawano Area Writers recently received a letter from one of our recent contest judges, Carol Lee Saffioti-Hughes, who helped determine the winners of our poetry category. She expressed her gratitude to the school teachers and staff who inspire these students to write.
It was a pleasure and honor to judge this year’s contest in the poetry category. With over 80 contestants ranging from grades 1-12, the submissions were vivid and lively, with the students pouring out heart and soul on topics that ranged from sheer joy and happiness to heartbreak;love to loss; rejoicing to serious reflection. As the students grow in age, writing poetry gives them space to deal with topics such as divorce, family strife, grief and loneliness. In particular, as you know, poetry is a medium that brings out issues and feelings, as well as unique voices. Selecting winners was a challenging task.
In this challenging school year, you are to be commended for encouraging students to write, and I hope that you continue to do that for your students. As teachers, you are on the front line dealing with what occurs in your students’ lives, in and beyond the classroom. I hope that reading your students’ work was an inspiration and an encouragement to you, to continue to allow your students the opportunity to express themselves. Students can be inspired this year, by Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, to realize that their words are heeded, and needed, by others.
I have served as a judge in the annual Scholastic Art and Writing contest in Wisconsin, and I want to encourage you to pursue having your students submit their work there too. You can consult the website www.ral.artandwriting.org to learn about the recently completed 2021 year, and perhaps consider bringing the 2022 contest to your schools as well. Regardless, more important than contests, is classroom time and place for writing, and encouragement for students to express their thoughts with follow-up if needed, to deal with issues that arise.
Please tell the students that every student who entered the George Putz contest received careful consideration, and in my books, they are all winners.
I wish you the best, and if I can be of any service and help in your future endeavors, don’t hesitate to contact the contest officials who know how to reach me.
