2019 National Federation of State Poetry Societies MANNINGHAM TRUST STUDENT POETRY WINNERS

Junior Division  Grades 6 through 8th

Judge:   Jana Bouma, Madison Lake, Minnesota

Cash Awards

1st Place    “This Big, Dark World” Bella Robinson, Portland, Oregon,  Grade 6

2nd Place  “My Childhood Poem” William Riebel, Salem, Oregon,  Grade 8

3rd Place  “Thinking Ocean” Caitlin Buffington, Centennial Colorado,  Grade 8

4th Place  “Views of a Vermillion Vineyard” Hannah Philip, Coppell, Texas, Grade 8

5th Place  “Ode in His Memory” Remy Finn, Dallas, Texas,  Grade 8

Honorable Mentions

1st HM  “A Wish or a Want?” Khaki Criss, Dallas, Texas, Grade 8

2nd HM  “A Little Too Familiar” Rachel Haynes, Centennial, Colorado, Grade 8

3rd  HM  I spoke a single word. Marcus Beebe, Jr., Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, Grade 8

4th HM “Ode to a Scrunchy” Catherine Gillette, Ferandina Beach, Florida, Grade 8

5th  HM  “Swish Swoosh!” Zainab Nazeer, Lombard, Illinois, Grade 6

Senior Division   Grades 9 through 12th

Judge:   Christina Flaugher, Mapleton, Minnesota

Cash Awards

1st Place  “apothecary of cheongdam-dong” Sarah Kim,  Hinsdale, Illinois  Grade 12

2nd Place “Flying Pitch, Skip” Gloria Wang, Vienna, Virginia Grade 11

3rd Place  “Home Is Far from Where I Stand” Gloria Wang, Vienna, Virginia Grade 11

4th Place  “Gut Reflex” Isabella Jiang, Cresskill, New Jersey  Grade 11

5th Place  “and if only” Isabella Jiang, Cresskill, New Jersey  Grade 11

Honorable Mentions

1st HM “Monsoon Emblem” Isabella Jiang, Cresskill, New Jersey  Grade 11

2nd HM “Alchemy Hour”  Jenna Sawyer, Uniontown, Ohio Grade 11

3rd HM “Pluto” Mykaela Reed, Sugar Grove, Ohio Grade 10

4th HM “When the Dinner Bell Rings” Gloria Wang, Vienna, Virginia Grade 11

5th HM  “Art Poetica” Joe Chen, Lima, Ohio  Grade 12

Special mentions

“Bedtime Story” Isabella Jiang, Cresskill, New Jersey  Grade 11

“Burned Pancakes” Ellen Pearson, Beaverton, Oregon  Grade 12

“Video Game Girl” Alana Scherer, West Des Moines, Iowa Grade 10

“We Meet Again, Beethoven” Nathan Phuong, Fort Wayne, Indiana  Grade 11

“Elegy for the Lost Soul” Gloria Wang, Vienna, Virginia Grade 11

Judge’s Comments:  WOW! What an honor to be asked to judge these stunning poems. I have so much hope for the next generation of poets in this country after reading these poems. Going in I thought this would be easy and these amazingly talented young people blew me out of the water.   The top 40 poems were all strong, beautiful and touched a chord deep inside me. It made the judging extremely difficult. I wish I could have given twenty more awards. I got it down to fifteen and couldn’t go any lower. The wisdom and poise of these poem is stunning. I want to get know every single one of the winners because there’s so much that can learned from them. Thank you for the chance to experience these amazing works. 

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