SCCC announces poetry contest winners from three-state area

SCCC announces poetry contest winners from three-state area

Live reading planned for April 15 on campus

LIBERAL, Kan. – Winners of the 2020 Seward County Community College annual poetry contest were announced on April 1, 2020.  More than 35 entries were received from a region that encompasses Campo, Colorado, to Garden City, Kansas, to Beaver, Oklahoma.

“Many of these poems come to life because of the spark from a student’s mind and heart that a middle school or high school teacher encourages,” said Lori Muntz, SCCC English instructor. “Such relationships are important for nurturing creativity, and it is a joy to share the winning poems from all the categories with a broad audience.”

The winners of this year’s contest are:

Best Poem by SCCC Student (two winners):

“Life and Death,” by Madelyn Garrison, Beaver, Okla.

“You Take My Breathe Away,” by Dulce Perez, Liberal

Open Category:

1^st Place, “Wild Thyme,” by Teresa Wehmeier, Hooker, Okla.

2^nd Place, “Sonnet: My Love Is Like The Sea So Furious,” by Megan Sims,

Meade

3^rd Place, “Dreams,” by Shandon Classen, Liberal

Honorable Mention, “Thanking the nouns,” by Norma Sanchez, Plains

High School Junior & Senior Category:

1^st   Place, “Distracted,” Joshua Knudsen, Liberal

2^nd  Place, “Birthday,” Abbigail Purcell, Satanta

3^rd  Place, “Bloody Black Rose,” Jessica Holloway, Johnson

Honorable Mention, “Dreams,” Diana Arana, Liberal

Young Poets Category:

1^st Place, “Drowning,” Lindsey Perez , Liberal

2^nd Place, “Dream World,” Carolina Pantoja, Walsh, Colo.

3^rd  Place, “unheard,” Cianna Rogers, Tyrone, Okla.

Honorable Mention, “Demons,” Calyssa Seger, Johnson

Donations for the prize packages were made by the SCCC Foundation, SCCC Bookstore, SCCC English Department, SCCC Marketing, and Bill McGlothing & Janice Northerns.

The winning poems may be read online at https://sccc.edu/web/academic/academic-divisions/humanities-and-social-sciences/english/publications.  Also, on  Thursday, April 15, at 7 pm there will be a Celebration of Creative Writing at which the poetry contest winners and contributors to Telolith 2021 will read their writings. Telolith is SCCC’s award-winning literary arts annual magazine. A limited audience will be able to attend in the SCCC Humanities building; tickets are available first-come, first-serve by contacting Terri Barnes at [email protected]. COVID-19 protocols will be followed as posted on campus. The event also will be live-streamed through SCCC’s Humanities Facebook page.

“The English Department congratulates all the winners and invites anyone interested to enter our next poetry contest, which will be in a few months – during the Fall 2021 semester,” Muntz explained. “If you are a current or former SCCC student, please check out SCribblers, which is a creative writing club just starting at the College.”

Watch SCCC social media or contact Dr. Muntz at [email protected] for information about creative writing courses and opportunities such as the SCCC poetry contest and SCribblers.