Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The winners of the Athenaeum Club poetry contest are, front, Kayla Kroll, 7-8th grade division; and back row, from left, Ariella Salmond, Jaisha Gibb and Madeline Tate, 9-12th grade division.
The Athenaeum Club honorable mention winners are, from left, front row, Sydney Sisk, Candence Monson and Tyler Menke; and back row, Tucker Senter, Seth Lustig and Casey Bittle.
COLFAX - One middle and three high school students won Athenaeum Club awards last month for their poetry.
Kayla Kroll won the 7th/8th-grade division. And Ariella Salmond, Jaisha Gibb and Madeline Tate won the 9th-12th division.
The Athenaeum Club had 57 junior and senior students enter their poetry contest this year.
"We have a poetry contest on even years, and odd years we have Art," club member Linda Marler said, noting the club is one of the oldest women's clubs in the state.
It has hosted student contests for more than 30 years.
"The club has existed for over 100 years in Colfax, and was organized in 1895 for women who wanted to experience culture," Contest Committee member Cathy Lander said. "We were thrilled to have so many entries. It took us two days to look over them.
"We do blind judging, so we don't know which students wrote the poems."
This contest meant a lot to students who got the chance to express themselves, and explore their artistic sides, she said.
Lander said she was moved by many of the poems, and how they reflected the writers (once she learned who wrote it).
"One of the first place winners said she'd never won any award in her life. For me, as teacher, that was special," she said.
In the high school division, first place went to Salmond, for her poem "He Abides In Me."
Second place went to Gibb for her poem, "Anxiety," and third to Tate for "My Favorite Color is Pink."
With so many, submissions judges extended beyond the cash prizes and gift cards for the Top 3 entries, and gave Subway or Zip's gift cars to the six honorable mentions.
Those receiving honorable mentions are Sydney Sisk, Candence Monson, Tyler Menke, Tucker Senter, Seth Lustig and Casey Bittle.
On April 1, the students read their submissions for the club members and guests at the Whitman County Library.
"It was an outstanding amount of entries this year. Excellent work. The top six this year read their poetry to us," Marler said, noting the contest coincided with National Poetry Month.
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