Barry Rynk is the new Chair for Poetry in Schools.
Poetry in Schools
Barry Rynk
Poetry in Schools
Poetry in Schools remains one of the Poetry Society of Texas’ most successful programs. It is one of the largest student competitions among all the state members of the National Federation of State Poetry Societies, Inc. The competition is sustained by donors who give $25.00 or more as contest sponsors. The program also welcomes donations of support from those who do not wish to sponsor contests. For information about the competition or to become a sponsor and/or donor contact the chairperson.
Student Awards
Poetry Society of Texas has a long history of recognizing student poets, and since 1989 the society has offered contests for students from first grade through high school.
Following the dissolution of the 30 year-old program, the board established a new 10 contest format for the autumn of 2018. With the establishment of this contest, student poems and awards will be presented at the annual awards banquet along with the adult awards.
To view full contest rules and categories, please click below.
PST STUDENT RULESINSTRUCTIONS 2022
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ROSTER OF STUDENTS PRIZE WINNING AWARDS 2021
1. MAHAN PRIZE (Grades 8-12) ~ Judge: Budd Powell Mahan
Prize Name of Student Age & Grade
1st Julian K. Seghers 16 years old – 11th Grade
Poem: “Ode to my Piano.”
Teacher: Ms. Lucy Seward
School: Heights High School
Houston, TX 77008
2nd Saniya Pendharkar 17 years old – 11th Grade
Poem “Hear Us.”
Teacher Ms. Heidi Hughes
School Allen High School
Allen, TX 75002
3rd Carolyn Lu 14 years old – 9th Grade
Poem: “The Cupcake Adventure”
Teacher: Ms. Tiffany Lee
School: Cinco Ranch High School
Katy, TX 77494
4th Katrina Machetta 16 years old – 11th Grade
Poem: “The Me I Never Understand.”
Teacher: Luis Abenir
School Klein Collins High School
Spring, TX 77388
HM Elizabeth Nassi 13 years old – 8th Grade
Poem: “Spectacular Surroundings”
Teacher: Ms. Joanie Geffen
School: Levine Academy
18011 Hillcrest Rd.
Dallas, TX 75252
2. BEATRICE LAND MEMORIAL (Grades 6-7) ~ Judge: Catherine L’Herisson.
1stPrize Maya Menon 12 years old – 6th Grade
Poem: “To Be Swallowed by a Book”
Teacher: Ms. Deidre Thomson
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Road
Dallas, TX 75229
2nd Prize Avika Guttigoli 12 years old – 6th Grade
Poem: “I stole it from the Sky”
Teacher: Ms. Deidre Thomson
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Road
Dallas, TX 75229
3rd Prize Jessy Nguyen 11 years old – 6th Grade
Poem: Reading”
Teacher: Mrs. Kristi Person
School: Sugar Land Middle School
321 Seventh Street
Sugar Land, TX 77498
4th Prize Christina Zhu 12 years old – 6th Grade
Poem: “A Powerless Winter”
Teacher: Ms. Deidre Thomson
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Road
Dallas, TX 75229
HM Harlan Graham 11 years old – 6th Grade
Poem: “Candle”
Teacher: Ms. Deidre Thomson
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Road
Dallas, TX 75229
3. NAOMI STROUD SIMMONS MEMORIAL (6–7) ~ Judge: Judy Kirkpatrick.
1st Prize Callie Coats 12 years old – 6th Grade
Poem: “Dandelions”
Teacher: Ms. Deidre Thomson
School: The Hockaday
11600 Welch Road
Dallas, TX 75229
2ndPrize Mary Elise Estess 12 years old – 6th Grad
Poem: “Role Model”
Teacher: Deidre Thomson
School: The Hockaday
11600 Welch Road
Dallas, TX 75229
3rd Prize Avery Camp 11 years old – 6th Grade
Poem: “Seasons of the Blue Jay”
Teacher: Mrs. Laura Embree
School: Gorzycki Middle School
7412 Slaughter Lane
Austin, TX78749
4th Prize Leila Hulme 12 years old – 6th Grade
Poem: “The Rabbit Runs”
Teacher: Ms. Deidre Thomson
School: The Hockaday
11600 Welch Road
Dallas, TX 75229
HM Cindy Zhou 12 years old – 6th Grade
Poem: “Thoughts”
Teacher: Ms. Deidre Thomson
School: The Hockaday
11600 Welch Road
Dallas, TX 75229
4. PAT AND DON R. STODGHILL AWARD (6–7 ) Judge: Pat Stodghill.
1st Lauren Schwartz 12 years old – 6th Grade
Poem: “Endless Potential”
Teacher: Ms. Deidre Thomson
School: The Hockaday
11600 Welch Road
;Dallas, TX 75229
2nd Maya Menon 12 years old – 6th Grade
Poem: “Magic”
Teacher: Ms. Deidre Thomson
School: The Hockaday
11600 Welch Road
Dallas, TX 75229
3rd Audrey Zambrano 12 years old – 6th Grade
Poem: “Wind”
Teacher: Ms. Deidre Thomson
School: ;The Hockaday
11600 Welch Road
Dallas, TX 75229
4th Sarina Rutner 13 years old – 7th Grade
Poem: “Where am I?”
Teacher: Ms. Joanie Geffen
School: Levine Academy
18011 Hillcrest
Dallas, TX 75230
HM Reagan Nguyen 12 years old – 6th Grade
Poem: “The Book”
Teacher: Ms. Deidre Thomson
School: The Hockaday
11600 Welch Road
Dallas, TX 75229
5. KARLE WILSON BAKER MEMORIAL PRIZE, Grades 6/7 ~ Judge: Patrick Marshall
1st Harlan Graham 11 years old – 6th Grade
Poem: “Divided”
Teacher Ms. Deidre Thomson
School: The Hockaday
11600 Welch Road
Dallas, TX 75229
2nd Siena Ebert 12 years old – 6th Grade
Poem: “Secrets”
Teacher Ms. Deidre Thomson
School: The Hockaday
11600 Welch Road
Dallas, TX 75229
3rd Aryaa Sachdev 11 years old – 6th Grade
Poem: “In the Seasons”
Teacher Ms. Deidre Thomson
School: The Hockaday
11600 Welch Road
Dallas, TX 75229
4th Roni Levkovich 12 years old – 7th Grade
Poem: “Dreams Do Come True”
Teacher Ms. Joanie Geffen
School: Levine Academy
18011 Hillcrest Road
Dallas, TX 75252
HM Leila Davis 12 years old – 6th Grade
Poem: “Happiness”
Teacher Ms. Deidre Thomson
School: The Hockaday|
11600 Welch Road
Dallas, TX 75229
6. MONTGOMERY AWARD (Grades 4–5)Judge: Cindy Wood
1st Cate Strom 10 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “Golden Glow.”
Teacher: Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
2nd Claire Mennel 11 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “Soar.”
Teacher: Ms. Deidre Thomson
School The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
3rd Sophia Lee 11 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “Wind.”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
4th Amelie Fisher 10 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “The Fleeing Leaves.”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
HM Caroline Hayes 11 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “A Leaf.”
Teacher: Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
7. MILDRED VORPAHL BAASS MEMORIAL (Grades 4–5) Judge: Nancy Baass
1st Prize Cate Strom 10 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “Hair Troubles”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
2nd Prize Stella Fish 11 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “Tree”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
3rd Prize Arden Buckner 11 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “Mask”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
4thst Prize Olivia Pearson 11 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “Happiness”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
HM Anna Gerow 11 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “Dull Class”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
8. JOHN D. VAUGHN MEMORIAL A. (Grades 4-5) Judge: Dr. Aman Kahn
1st Prize Miriam Alexa Chavez-Ayala 11 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “Still There”
Teacher: Ms. Deidre Thomson
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
2nd Michelle Cheng 10 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “ENOUGH”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
3rd Maggie Hurley 11 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “Death’s Lullaby”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
4th Campbell Fahnestock 11 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “Night’s Pollution”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
HM Joyce Jin 11 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “Mirror”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
9. VIOLETTE NEWTON MEMORIAL A. (Grade 4–5)Judge: Karen Mastracchio
1st Caroline Hayes 11 years old – 5th Grade Poem: “Thunderstorms”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
2nd Kayla Zhang 11 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “A Notebook”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
3rd Mia Frary 11 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “Some Words”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
4th Chloe Byrd 11 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “My Silence”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
HM Magic Cather 11 years old – 5th Grade
Poem: “The Bigger Picture”
Teacher: Ms. Deidre Thomson
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
10. MARCELLA SIEGEL CONTEST (Grades 1-3) ~ Judge: Ms. Ann Howells
1st Prize: Lerato Gwelo 8 years old – 3rd Grade
Poem: “Winter White.”
Teacher: Mrs. Denise Luedeke – denise.luedeke@mylcs.com
School: Liberty Christian School
1301 S US Highway 377
Argyle, TX 76226
2nd Prize Savera Bhola 8 years old – 3rd Grade
Poem: “Our Earth is Calling”
Principal: Ms. Heather Cox
School: Jessie Marie Riddle Elementary
8201 Robinson Rd.
Plano, TX75024
11. MILLER MEMORIAL AWARD (Grade 3–5) ~ Judge: Terry J. Miller
1 st Prize: Abigail Crook 11 years old, 5th Grade
Poem: “Bubble Bath.”
Teacher: Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
2nd Prize Maggie Hurley 11 years old, 5th Grade
Poem: “All the Words.”
Teacher: Lisa Waugh School:
The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
3rd Prize Margaret Lewis 11 years old, 5th Grade
Poem “The Broken Glass.”
Teacher Lisa Waugh
School The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
4th Prize Michelle Cheng 10 years old, 5th Grade
Poem: “Love Me as You Do.”
Teacher: Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd. / Dallas, TX 75229
HM Arden Buckner 11 years old, 5th Grade
Poem: “Special Yellow.”
Teacher: Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
12. JIMMYE INEZ SESSIONS AWARD (Grade 5th) Judge: Laurie Kolp
1st Prize Kavya Chava 10 years old, 5th Grade
Poem: “A Frozen River”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
2nd Prize Brooklyn Friesen 11 years old, 5th Grade
Poem: “Clouded Eyes”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
3rd Prize Cindy Li 11years old, 5th Grade
Poem: “My Blanket”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
4th Prize Catherine Hochman 11 years old, 5th Grade
Poem: “Time”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
HM Ameena Welch 11 years old, 5th Grade
Poem: “A Fish”
Teacher: Ms. Lisa Waugh
School: The Hockaday School
11600 Welch Rd.
Dallas, TX 75229
The Poetry Society of Texas 