HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-05-08, Page 32Earlier this year, Emily Kerkhof,the daughter of Pauleen and JohnKerkhof of Brussels submitted apoem to a contest that was held for
young poets.
Kerkhof is in Grade 9 at F.E.
Madill. Her poem was selected from
thousands of entries as one of the top
10 in her grade division.
“The assignments just kept
coming,” Kerkhof says. “I’m not
sure how many I did, but there were
a lot of them.”
The contest was held for all
students in Grades kindergarten to
12. The top 10 poets in each division
(Grades kindergarten - 3, 4-6, 7-9,
10-12) are each receiving special
recognition in the poetry anthology
A Celebration of Young Poets. Each
top 10 winner receives a
complimentary copy of the
anthology and a $25 cheque in U.S.
funds. Poems are selected for their
literary merit, creativity, and social
significance.
There was a public voting
component to the contest as well,
where Kerkhof said her poem won
the adoration of many English
teachers and music-lovers due to the
topic of her poem: music.
“My teacher was really happy, she
went a bit nutso. She said that this
had never happened at the school
and they announced it over the PA,”
she said.
Kerkhof says she doesn’t
necessarily write unless she has to
for school assignments, but that
there are some circumstances that
drive her to the pen.
“If I get extremely, extremely,extremely, extremely bored, then Imight write,” she said. “Or if I go tocamp, because that’s what girls dothere. We either yell at each other, orwe write it out.”Kerkhof credits Brussels Public
School, her elementary school, with
planting the seed of poetry in her
head. She said poetry was a big
theme at the school and that most
assignments often had a poetry
component.
She laments that her poems were
not often well-received there, but
that she did learn valuable lessons.
She was asked to join the school’s
creative writing club, but with her
many band commitments, she says
that club just isn’t a possibility.
Creative Communication sponsors
this contest to offer a creative outlet
that honours our youth. Too often the
efforts of young writers are
unrecognized and they lose their
motivation to express themselves.
Creative Communication also
awards over $13,000 each year in
Language Arts Grants to schools to
further encourage young people’s
writings. Teachers, parents, and
students alike have been universally
pleased with the contest.
The next contest deadline for
poetry is Aug. 14 with over $3,000
in prizes awarded. Creative
Communication also sponsors essay
contests.
The next essay contest to be held
has a deadline of Oct.15.
These are not contests where every
entry is accepted to be published.
Essays and poems of high merit will
receive an invitation to be published
in an anthology.
To enter, send one original poemof 21 lines or less, and/or oneoriginal essay of 250 words or less,with the student’s name, grade,home address, school name and school address to: CreativeCommunication, 1488 North 200West, Logan, UT 84341 USA.Or enter online at:www.poeticpower.com If you need further informationabout the contest please contact Dr.Tom Worthen at CreativeCommunication at 435-713-4411 ore-mail: editor@poeticpower.comPAGE 32. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2008.Teen’s poem earns her a spot in contest’s top 10
Hung up
F.E. Madill student Emily Kerkhof got noticed by her peers when one of her poems was
chosen to be published and went on to place in the top 10 in a competition her work had been
entered into by the school. Kerkhof says she doesn’t find too much time to write on her own
time, between school work and band practice, but that the impulse will hit her from time to
time. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
Business Directory
LEE'S SERVICE CENTRE
Repairs to all makes & models of cars & trucks
Air Conditioning • Car Oiling
• Snow Removal
348 Dinsley St., Blyth, Ontario
CHRIS LEE:
Phone: Bus. 519-523-9151
Mon.- Fri.8 am - 5:30 pm; Sat.8 am - 12 noon
D & J
CONSTRUCTION
Jim McDonald 519-887-9607
- COMPLETE MECHANICAL SERVICE -
COMPUTERIZED TUNE-UPS - TIRES - BRAKES
MUFFLERS - VEHICLE INSPECTION STATION
DAN'S AUTO REPAIR
Owned and Operated by Dan & Heather Snell
RR 3, Blyth, Ont. N0M 1H0
(on the Westfield Rd.)
DAN SNELL, Automotive Technician
519-523-4356
COVERING ALL YOUR
CARPENTRY NEEDS
CASEY BOVEN
Blyth 519-523-4757
• New Homes
• Replacement
Windows & Doors
• Renovations
• Soffit & Fascia
• Decks
• Additions
• Trim
• Hardwood Flooring
ELLIOTT NIXON
INSURANCE BROKERS INC.
BLYTH, ON
N0M 1H0
519-523-4481
MEMBER OF HURON INSURANCE MANAGERS GROUP
4 Generations
Since 1910
R. John Elliott Res. 519-523-4323
J. Richard Elliott Res. 519-523-9725
Randy Nixon Res. 519-523-4989
McKILLOP
MUTUAL
INSURANCE
COMPANY
91 Main St., South, Seaforth
Office 519-527-0400
1-800-463-9204
FARM, HOME,
COMMERCIAL
AUTO COVERAGES
AGENTS
Graeme Craig 519-887-9381
Shannon Craig 519-887-9381
Bob McNaughton 519-527-2798
Donald Taylor 519-482-9976
Banter & Mac Ewan &
Feagan Insurance Ltd.519-524-8376
Gaiser Kneale Insurance
Brokers Inc.519-482-3401
Thames Insurance
Brokers, Exeter 519-235-2211
Cockwell
Insurance Brokers 519-356-2216
G.L. Barclay Insurance 519-238-6790
DONALD IVES
General Contractor
Repairs
and
Maintenance
Brussels 519-887-9024
VANDRIEL
Excavating Inc.
Simon
VanDriel
519-482-3783
We Dig For You
Call us for... Excavators, Bobcats,
Dozers, Trucking, etc.
COMPLETE EXCAVATING
CONTRACTOR
Derrick
VanDriel
519-522-0609
• Gravel • Sand
• Stone
JAMES BROWN PHARMACY
198 Josephine St., Wingham, Ont.
519-357-1629
Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9 - 6 Sat. 9 - 4
Rear Parking Available
Delivery
available
By Shawn LoughlinThe Citizen