National Library Week Teen Poetry Contest Winners!

Congratulations to the winners of the annual National Library Week Teen Poetry Contest at Franklin Lakes Public Library!

Andrew Fong, sixth grader at Franklin Avenue Middle School, will receive First Place, awarded with a $50 American Express Gift Card, for his poem “Dandelion.”  Three runners’ up prizes will also be awarded each with a$25.00 Barnes and Noble Gift Card:  Michael Park, eighth grader at Franklin Avenue Middle School, for “The Candle”; Danielle Linz, also an eighth grader at Franklin Avenue Middle School, for “Your FairyTale”; and Marica Lesznick, sophomore at Ramapo High School, for the original poem, “How a Hippo is a Cookie.”

Contest winners will receive their prizes and be specially recognized at a Teen Poetry Coffeehouse and Open Mic Night at Franklin Lakes Library on Monday, April 25, 2011, 6:30-8:30 p.m.  All teens and families are invited to this event to share original and favorite pieces of writing.

The Teen Poetry Contest was part of the celebration of National Library Week 2011 and National Poetry Month.   At Franklin Lakes Public Library and area schools, teens were given a contest entry form and encouraged to create original poems or song lyrics.  We received over 25 poems and a Grand Prize winner plus three runners’ up were chosen by an array of local judges and library workers.  Entries were judged on creativity, originality, flow and polish, and overall impact.  Copies of the winning entries can be found on display in the library.  Thank you so much to all the teens who submitted entries for this contest!