The Evanston Public Library has announced the winners of the 39th Annual Jo-Anne Hirshfield Memorial Poetry Awards.
The public is invited to attend a ceremony in the library’s Community Meeting Room, at 1703 Orrington Ave., on Sunday, April 23, at 2 p.m. for the award presentations.
Winner of this year’s First Prize award in the Adult category is Maureen Tolman Flannery of Evanston for her poem “Path to the School Bus.” Christopher Thomas of Evanston wins Second Prize for his poem “The Architect’s Dream,” and Gregory Curry, of Chicago, takes Third Prize for his poem, “Table for One.”
Honorable Mentions in this category go to: Karen LeMaistre of Morton Grove for “One Year,” and Sharon Lieberman of Evanston for “Ocean.”
Margaret Blackburn of Interlochen Arts Academy has won First Prize in the High School category for her poem “Seasonal Farmers’ Market.” Emily Cho, a student at North Shore Country Day School, wins Second Prize for the poem “Each Morning,” and Third Prize goes to Kara Jackson of Oak Park and River Forest High School for her work entitled, “litte red ride in hood.”
Honorable Mention is awarded to Leah Kindler of Oak Park and River Forest High School for “The Job.”
Winners in the Middle School category are: First Prize to Lily Shure of Haven Middle School for her poem “She Was Born.” Second Prize to Lucia Goldberg of Haven for her work entitled “2017,” and Third Prize is awarded to Safiya Blount of Nichols Middle School for her poem, “Why.”
Honorable mention is awarded to Cherie Animashaun of Chute Middle School for “Unity” and to Carly Johnson of Haven Middle School for “Just Hold On.”
Winners in the Elementary School category are: First Prize to Sommer Stone of Kingsley Elementary School for her poem “Beauty,” Second Prize to Perrine Tran of Orrington Elementary School for her poem “The Words,” and Third Prize to Jacob Bennett of Lincoln Elementary School for his poem, “Mountain Covered in Snow.”
Honorable Mention goes to elementary school students Naomi Alemayehu of Kingsley Elementary School for “We are All Different” and to Charlotte Hurst of Science and Arts Academy for the poem “Me.”
There were some 305 entries submitted in the competition.
Judge for the competition was Susan T. Moss a former English teacher and author of two poetry books who is currently serving a third term as president of the Illinois State Poetry Society.