2011 Kinnelon Poetry Contest Results

Per the announcement in Kinnelon's 2011 Poetry Contest: April 28 Deadline, the big day for the 2011 Kinnelon Poetry Contest took place on May 3rd, 2011, when recitation and judging of poems happened.

Galina Adair, who heads up the Kinnelon Children's Library, announced that 163 written poems had been submitted and 55 students had signed up to recite their poems from memory for the 2011 contest.

Wow!

As you can see from the pictures, the Children's Library was packed with kids and adults... ready that day for some serious poetry!

We were ready. Emma had been practicing reciting her poem intensely for the last two weeks. She had recited it to her class that same day, to our neighbor Chuck Mougalian at the bus stop, to her teacher, Mrs. Kolster, to Mrs. Bosch, the Stonybrook librarian, and to her friends on the bus...

The judges were ready, too.

As this table, you see three recitation judges: Eileen Gelenter, Anna Tiajoloff and Jason D'Alessi. Not pictured is Cathy Bissell.

What I always appreciate from this event is how the judges and Galina take every opportunity to share with us their love of poetry. This day was no exception.

Eileen brought to life 'Take me out to the ball game' and Anna, a previous winner of the poetry recitation contest, shared with us her version of 'Jellyfish Stew' by Jack Prelutsky.

Here is Anna Reciting 'Jellyfish Stew' for the Kinnelon Library Poetry Contest 2011:


The 2011 Kinnelon Poetry Recitation Contest Winners are:

• Sofia Harty - 4th-5th grade winner, recited Lewis Carroll's The Walrus and the Carpenter
• Emma Whittemore - 2nd-3rd grade winner, recited an original poem, ADVENTURES
• Sayanika Upadhyay - k-1st grade winner, recited Lewis Carroll, Bessie's Song to Her Doll

A Kinnelon Poet Reciting her Poem

The 2011 Kinnelon Written Poetry Contest had different judges from those judging the poetry recitation. The written poem judges included: MaryAnn O'Gorman, Diana Friedman, Marellen Liddy.

The 2011 Kinnelon Written Poem Contest Winners were:

KEVIN MCNAMARA - K-1st grade winner 

The SHOT!

I cut through the ice

with my blades made of steel.

I go for the puck

sometimes I must steal.

I push the puck left

I push the puck right.

One shot down the middle

and off goes the light!

My team cheers and claps

and yells with delight.

We've won our game

with one shot this night.

Amelia Harriz - 2-3rd grade winner 

Four Leaf Clover

Once there was a four

leaf clover who was so very sad.

Once there was a four leaf

clover who felt so very bad.

His sadness came from a missing

leaf he went from four to three.

The petal was plucked by a

thief who then hid behind a tree.

The clover knelt and made a wish,

which was his normal habbit.

But he wasn't really lucky now and

he was eaten by a rabbit!

Luke Florio, 4th-5th grade winner 

Iditarod

Iditarod is a race run by dogs

From Anchorage to Nome.

With a thousand miles 'til the end,

They might turn back to go home.

With 13 dogs to pull each sled

Across the snowy trail.

They'll go quicker than the speed of light

And outrun the icy hail.

They cruise along the snow and ice

At a mighty speed

That makes the mushers glad because

The speed is what they need.

"MUSH! MUSH! MUSH!" the mushers yell

As loud as they possibly can.

They're glad the wolves aren't in the way -

They're sleeping in their den.

The winner is so proud when he

Completes the grueling race

A smile forms across his red

Chapped and frost bitten face.

Galina shared with me the following:

It was truly a magical late afternoon had by all. You could sense the participants were very eager to recite their poem to the audience and they were just as eager to receive any sorts of accolades because they KNEW THEY DID A GREAT JOB and impressed us all! I got a real charge out of it - and I am pretty sure the audience did as well.

Galina and Emma

Thank you, Galina, the 2011 Kinnelon Poetry Contest Judges, and the Kinnelon Public Library for creating such a warm, welcoming, creative environment for our marvelous Kinnelon poets.

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