Seward County Community College celebrates creative writing and the winners of the 2021-2022 Seward County Community College annual poetry contest on April 8, 2022, at 7:00 pm in the Student Union. Independent musician and creative writing educator Cash Hollistah, a board member of the Kansas Music Hall of Fame, opens the event, and poetry contest entrants and contributors to Telolith, SCCC’s award-winning literary arts magazine, will read their poems and stories. The event is free and open to the public; refreshments provided.
This year the poetry contest received 86 poems crafted by 49 individuals from Weskan, Kansas, to Campo, Colorado, to Buhler, Kansas, to Forgan, Oklahoma. The winners are:
Best Poem by SCCC Student:
“August Evening,” by Amy Whitaker, Liberal Kansas
Open:
1st prize, “August Evening,” by Amy Whitaker
2nd prize, “A Grin without a Cat,” by Joy Stahl, Elkhart, KS
3rd prize, “Coming Home,” by Melvin Le, Liberal, KS
Honorable Mention, “Honest Record Made,” by Amy Whitaker
High School Juniors & Seniors:
1st prize, “Faith vs. Desire,” by Ayla Faullin, Dodge City, KS
2nd prize, “Silly Little Goat,” by Chloe Johnson, Campo, CO
3rd prize, “Music is a Mountain,” by Jake Hinds, Campo, CO
Honorable Mention, “The Cat and the Dog,” by Jadyn Patrick, Campo, CO
Young Poets (grades 6 – 10):
1st prize, “All About Me,” by Addie Harris, Liberal, KS
2nd prize, “une ballade d’étoiles,” by Quinn Thibault, Pratt, KS
3rd Place, “The Little Flower,” by Addie Harris, Liberal, KS
Honorable Mention, “School,” by Jorey Billings, Campo, CO
Prize donations were made by the SCCC Foundation, the SCCC Humanities and English Department, SCCC Admissions, and the SCCC Marketing and Publications Office. The poems were evaluated in a blind process by Ellen Davis, who is a graduate student at Pittsburgh State University and managing editor of the Cow Creek Review; Davis is recipient of the Karen Stoltz Graduate Prize in poetry and fiction.
“The English Program is grateful to have the poetry contest grow this year; this is due to the dedication of English teachers from across our region. The students’ poems share moments of deep emotion and acute observations,” said Dr. Lori Muntz, the SCCC English instructor who coordinates the contest. “In addition to the Young Poets and High School Juniors & Seniors categories, it is a joy to receive the poetry from adults in the Open category.”
Hollistah’s visit results from collaboration between the SCCC Library and English Department and is funded by a grant from the American Library Association. For more information about the coffeehouse, contact Dr. Muntz at 620-417-1456.
