The Gaithersburg Book Festival has selected the finalists for its annual poetry contest for high school students.
The Gaithersburg Book Festival has selected the finalists for its fourth annual poetry contest for high school students. The students had to write a poem on themes of community, escape and/or freedom, and more than 185 entries poured in from around the region.
The finalists, listed in alphabetical order with the school they attend, city in which they reside and grade, are:
- Lucy Collins – Archbishop Spalding High School (Columbia, Md.; grade 11)
- Clara Goldberg – Winston Churchill High School (Potomac, Md.; grade 12)
- Mischa Green – Annapolis High School (Glen Burnie, Md.; grade 11)
- Naomi Kaul – Northwest High School (Germantown, Md.; grade 12)
- Joy Kim – Oakton High School (Oakton, Va.; grade 11)
- Anastasia Matveev – Montgomery Blair High School (Silver Spring, Md.; grade 12)
- Lilly Rogers – The Bryn Mawr School (Baltimore, Md.; grade 9)
- Sarah Siskind – Annapolis High School (Annapolis, Md.; grade 12)
- Eugene Tibbs – Landon School (Arlington, Va.; grade 11)
- Sophia Toth-Fejel – Archbishop Spalding High School (Millersville, Md.; grade 11)
- Jasmin Wu – Walter Johnson High School (Bethesda, Md.; grade 10)
- Allison Xu – Walter Johnson High School (Rockville, Md.; grade 10)
The first-, second- & third-place winners and the fan favorite will be announced on the Festival website Friday, May 13, by 2022 judge Gregory Luce, a local poet who will select the top three entries.
“It is an honor to be able to read these fine poems and it will be very difficult to choose just three,” said Luce. “The DMV can be proud that it is an incubator for the next generation of poets.”
The 12 finalist poems have been posted to the Gaithersburg Book Festival website so visitors can read the entries and vote for their favorite. Fan favorite voting will close on Friday, May 13, at 11 p.m. ET. Winners will be announced at the Festival, taking place May 21 at Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm in Gaithersburg, Md.
Prizes for first-, second- & third-place winners are $250, $100 and $50, respectively. The fan favorite winner will receive $25.
“Once again, I am blown away by the talented young writers and poets in our region,” said Jud Ashman, founder of the Festival and Mayor of the City of Gaithersburg. “They have taken the themes of freedom, community and escape, and crafted phenomenal poetry. We are so proud to spotlight all of these budding artists at the Gaithersburg Book Festival.”
To be eligible for the poetry contest, students had to be enrolled in grades 9-12 at a public or private school, or be in a homeschool program, for the 2021-22 school year. Additionally, entrants had to reside in Maryland, Virginia or the District of Columbia.
The Gaithersburg Book Festival has announced that its annual high school poetry contest is now open for submissions. First and second place winners will receive $250 and $100, respectively. Third place and fan favorite winners will receive $50 and $25, respectively.
Winners will be unveiled at the Gaithersburg Book Festival on May 21, 2022, taking place at Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm, 506 S. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg, Md. 20877.
“We’re so excited to again feature a High School Poetry Contest as part of the Gaithersburg Book Festival,” said Jud Ashman, Festival chair and Mayor of the City of Gaithersburg. “Last year’s contest entrants knocked it out of the park with their poems, and we expect this year to be no different.”
To participate, students must be enrolled in grades 9-12 at a public or private school, or be in a homeschool program, for the 2021-2022 school year. Additionally, entrants must reside in Maryland, Virginia or the District of Columbia.
This year, students are asked to craft a poem on one of three topics: freedom, escape or community.
Poems should:
- Be on one of the topics: freedom, escape or community
- Be submitted as a Word document (.doc or .docx)
- Be typed in 12 pt. Times New Roman
- Be one page in length
- Only include the title of the poem in the filename (e.g., The_Red_Fern.doc)
- Not include the name of the student or school in the file. That information will be requested on the application.
- Be the original work of the student and not have been previously published online or in print
Poems must be submitted electronically via this URL by midnight ET on Tuesday, February 22, 2022.
Up to 12 poems will be selected as finalists and posted on the Gaithersburg Book Festival website prior to the Festival. Finalists will also be asked to record a video of themselves reading their poems, which will be posted on the Gaithersburg Book Festival website. Note that submission of poems grants the Gaithersburg Book Festival the right to publish, distribute, transmit and exhibit them without financial compensation. See Poetry Contest web page for details.
Prizes will be provided courtesy of Johns Hopkins University Montgomery County Campus.
Complete rules and regulations can be found on the Poetry Contest web page. Questions can be emailed to [email protected].
A flyer is available for download, to post and share with students and faculty.
Richard Montgomery Senior Arushi Singh Takes Top Prize in Gaithersburg Book Festival High School Poetry Contest
Arushi Singh, a senior at Richard Montgomery High School and Rockville, Md., resident, was awarded first prize in the 2021 Gaithersburg Book Festival poetry contest for high school students for her poem “Leaking Memories.”
Second prize went to Potomac, Md., resident Caroline Dinh, a senior at Richard Montgomery High School for “Social Cues.” Charlotte Lucas, a Bethesda, Md., resident and freshman at Walter Johnson High School, received third prize for “Or.”
The Fan Favorite, as decided by votes on the Gaithersburg Book Festival website, went to Holly Keegan, a junior at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart from Potomac, Md., for her poem, “Rest.”
Prizes for first-, second- and third-place winners, provided courtesy of Johns Hopkins University Montgomery County, are $250, $100 and $50, respectively. The fan favorite winner will receive $25.
Local poet Sandra Beasley, who judged the contest, announced the top three winners in a video posted on the Gaithersburg Book Festival YouTube channel.
“I was so impressed by the imagination, the formal dexterity, just the talent of the poems I had in front of me,” Beasley said of the 12 finalists’ poems. “I am quite confident that you all are the next generation of poets we’ll be talking about, and that’s going to be a really good conversation.”
To be eligible for the poetry contest, students had to be enrolled in grades 9-12 at a public or private school, or be in a homeschool program, for the 2020-21 school year. Additionally, entrants had to reside in Maryland, Virginia or the District of Columbia.
About the Gaithersburg Book Festival
Founded in 2010, the Gaithersburg Book Festival is a celebration of books, writers and literary excellence. It is one of the premier literary events in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The 2021 Festival took place virtually throughout the month of May, and featured author appearances, panel discussions and writing workshops. Programming is available on the Gaithersburg Book Festival YouTube channel. The 2021 Festival was sponsored in part by The David and Mikel Blair Family Foundation. The Gaithersburg Book Festival also hosts author events in Montgomery County throughout the year as a way to encourage continued appreciation for all things literary. For more information please visit www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org, follow us on Twitter @GburgBookFest or like us on Facebook.
Gaithersburg Book Festival Kid Lit Adventure “Leaves the Station” May 1
Beginning on Saturday, May 1, children, teens and families can jump on board the 2021 Gaithersburg Book Festival ride to enjoy literary stops at multiple “Inspiration Stations” throughout the City and on the Festival’s YouTube channel throughout the month.
“Even though we’ve gone virtual again in 2021, we’ve put together a variety of interactive activities across Gaithersburg that we hope will inspire children and adults alike in their love of reading and great books,” said Festival Founder and Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman. “We invite you to explore neighborhoods across our great city, while adventuring into great literature.”
Inspiration Stations include:
GBF StoryWalk®!
Get outside and enjoy this in-person and safe reading adventure by visiting five locations around Gaithersburg. At each location, you’ll find the first page of a story and follow along the StoryWalk® track until you reach the end of the book. Snap photos and share the family fun on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with #GBF and #GBFStoryWalk.
All participants must follow local COVID safety protocols and are encouraged to wear face coverings, stay six feet away from others, and enjoy with members of their own household.
The GBF StoryWalk® is sponsored by The Basics, a Nonprofit Montgomery and Montgomery Moving Forward pilot program for young children.
There are four StoryWalk® tracks at five Gaithersburg locations available during the entire month of May. Visit them at:
- Constitution Gardens (112 Brookes Ave.) – “Carry Me!” by Susan Stockdale. A beautifully illustrated book for very young scientists to begin to explore adaptations, habitats and life cycles.
- Diamond Farms Park (857 Quince Orchard Blvd.) – “Bears in a Band” by Shirley Parenteau. An adorable story of little bears who have fun making music with their instruments.
- Griffith Park and City Hall Grounds (31 South Summit Ave.) and rio Lakefront Shopping Center (9811 Washingtonian Blvd.) – “Stripes of All Types / Rayas de todas las tallas” (bilingual) by Susan Stockdale. Gorgeous illustrations introduce readers to a wide range of striped animals through bouncy, alliterative rhyme in both English and Spanish.
- Downtown Crown (119 Crown Park Ave.) – “Astro Girl” by Ken Wilson-Max. The stars are the limit for a little girl who brings space travel up close for young readers and offers an inspiring ending.
Children’s and YA Author Presentations
Readers ages 2-16 will want to make this stop at the Virtual Gaithersburg Book Festival to tune in to children’s and young adult presentations by 17 of today’s most popular authors. Look over the schedule and be sure to add your favorites to your calendar! Presentations premiere on the Festival YouTube channel every weekday Monday, May 17 to Friday, May 28 and remain available for viewing for a minimum of 30 days.
As a bonus, at the end of each author presentation, blossoming writers will be given three Story Starters to “choo” upon for writing inspiration. Stories can be emailed to the Festival at [email protected] to be entered into a random drawing on May 31, 2021 for a chance to win a special prize!
Writing Workshops for Elementary School Students.
Registration opens Saturday, May 1, for two special children’s writing workshops, hosted on Zoom:
- Astronauts Zoom! Astronauts Write! (Saturday, May 8 at 11 a.m. EDT) – Discover how real astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) live and work every day (and night) in the new book, “Astronauts Zoom!.” You’ll imagine you’re an astronaut on the station and write a letter or email to your family or friends. This workshop will be led by Deborah Lee Rose, an internationally published, award-winning children’s author whose newest book, “Astronauts Zoom! An Astronaut Alphabet,” is illustrated with “you are there” NASA photos of female and male astronauts on the ISS.
- Create Haiku Poetry! (Saturday, May 15 at 11 a.m. EDT) – Make artworks and create haiku poetry! Haiku poetry is about one breath long, and often focuses on nature. After reading sample poems and discussing the craft of writing Haiku poetry, you will create mini artworks and write your own. This workshop will be led by Jenny Klein, who has worked as a classroom teacher, gifted and talented teacher, staff developer and reading specialist for Montgomery County Public Schools.
Several Workshops for Teens and Adults are also available and can be found on the Festival website. All workshops are free and will take place via Zoom. Spaces are limited, so register soon.
Virtual Tours of Authors’ Creative Spaces
Take a virtual tour of your favorite authors’ Creative Spaces from the Festival YouTube Channel. These pre-recorded virtual tours may include the desks, unique tools, art, or even a plant or a pet that helps an author write.
Playlists from YA Authors
YA readers can enjoy creating or listening to playlists curated by GBF’s Young Adult authors with motivational, inspirational, and empowering songs they use to help them write. These too will be available on the Festival YouTube Channel.
View the High School Poetry Contest Finalists’ Poems
Visit Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm (506 South Frederick Ave.) to get outdoors and view the poems written by the 12 finalists in the Festival’s High School Poetry Contest. Poets are students at high schools throughout the Metropolitan Washington Area.
Pick your favorite poem, then visit the GBF website to vote for it by May 31. The poem with the most votes will win the Fan Favorite Award, and will be announced on June 4. The first-, second-, and third-place winners will be announced on the Festival website Friday, May 14, by 2021 Sandra Beasley, a local poet who served as the contest judge.
And there’s more….
The 2021 Festival has plenty of programming for adults too. During the first two weeks of May, Festival programming will focus on a variety of genres for adults, including fiction, non-fiction, mystery, science fiction and poetry. Among the featured authors are Ishmael Beah, Sandra Beasley, Jeanine Cummins, Cory Doctorow, Pam Fessler, Robert Jones Jr., Dr. Michio Kaku, Jon Klassen, Carole Lindstrom, Carlos Lozada, Susan Page, Lisa Scottoline, Karen Tumulty, and more.
Keep up with GBF programming developments on the Festival website at www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org. You can also subscribe to the GBF newsletter and follow the Festival on Facebook and Twitter @GburgBookFest for the latest updates.
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About the Gaithersburg Book Festival
Founded in 2010, the Gaithersburg Book Festival is a celebration of books, writers and literary excellence. It is one of the premier literary events in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The 2021 Festival will take place virtually throughout the month of May, featuring author appearances, panel discussions and writing workshops. The Gaithersburg Book Festival also hosts author events in Montgomery County throughout the year as a way to encourage continued appreciation for all things literary. The event is sponsored in part by The David and Mikel Blair Family Foundation. For more information please visit www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org, follow us on Twitter @GburgBookFest or like us on Facebook.
Gaithersburg Book Festival Goes Virtual in 2021 with Month-Long Celebration of All Things Literary
Per the Gaithersburg Book Festival:
Even though the Gaithersburg Book Festival will be virtual again in 2021, there will be no lack of mystery, political intrigue, tall tales, picture books or expressive poetry. Throughout the entire month of May, on whatever device you prefer, you’ll be able to see presentations and panel discussions by nearly 100 authors from every genre, and participate in writing workshop classes designed for both children and adults.
“Despite not being able to gather in-person this year, our commitment to showcasing the best and brightest in the writing world has not diminished,” said Jud Ashman, Festival chair and Mayor of the City of Gaithersburg. “Once again our committee has put together a stellar line-up. We are excited to bring some of today’s top authors into your homes, and give you a glimpse into the inspirations of their craft.”
During the first two weeks of May, Festival programming will focus on a variety of genres for adults, including fiction, non-fiction, mystery, science fiction and poetry. Among the featured authors are Ishmael Beah, Sandra Beasley, Maureen Corrigan, Jeanine Cummins, Cory Doctorow, Pam Fessler, Robert Jones, Jr., Dr. Michio Kaku, Jon Klassen, Carole Lindstrom, Carlos Lozada, Susan Page, Lisa Scottoline, Karen Tumulty, and more.
The second half of the month will be for the kids and young adults, with programming from award-winning authors and illustrators of children’s books, graphic novels and YA titles, including Tom Angleberger, Atinuke, Jerry Craft, Sharon Flake, Alan Gratz, Meena Harris, Jon Klassen, Gordon Korman, Remy Lai, David LaRochelle, Carole Lindstrom, Dave Roman, Jordan Sonnenblick, Francisco X. Stork, Deborah Wiles, and Mike Wohnoutka.
An up-to-date list of featured authors and their books can be found on the Festival website.
The virtual Festival will also feature writing workshop classes for adults, teens and kids, led by experienced teachers and held via Zoom. These free workshops give participants the chance to hone their skills and learn tips and tricks from the professionals. Workshop details and registration information will be available in early April.
“During the pandemic it’s been more important than ever to spark curiosity and encourage reading,” said David and Mikel Blair, founders of The David and Mikel Blair Family Foundation, the Festival’s premier sponsor. “The David and Mikel Blair Family Foundation is proud to sponsor the 2021 Gaithersburg Book Festival in its efforts to celebrate the joys of reading.”
Keep up with GBF programming developments on the Festival website at www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org. You can also subscribe to the GBF newsletter and follow the Festival on Facebook and Twitter @GburgBookFest.
About the Gaithersburg Book Festival
Founded in 2010, the Gaithersburg Book Festival is a celebration of books, writers and literary excellence. It is one of the premier literary events in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The 2021 Festival will take place virtually throughout the month of May, featuring author appearances, panel discussions and writing workshops. The Gaithersburg Book Festival also hosts author events in Montgomery County throughout the year as a way to encourage continued appreciation for all things literary. The event is sponsored in part by The David and Mikel Blair Family Foundation. For more information please visit www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org, follow us on Twitter @GburgBookFest or like us on Facebook.
