Bucks County Community College has announced the call for submissions to the 37th annual Bucks County High School Poet of the Year contest.
Aimed at discovering and fostering the creative talents of young poets, the contest is open to all high school students residing or attending school in Bucks County, including freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, and those who are home-schooled.
According to Dr. Ethel Rackin, the director of the Bucks County Poet Laureate Program and a language and literature professor at the community college, students interested in participating have until Friday, March 15 to submit three original poems.
“Entering the High School Poet of the Year contest may give students a chance to discover and develop a talent they may not have realized they had,” said Rackin.
“Mentioning the contest, public reading, and anthology on college applications will demonstrate initiative, writing skills, and public speaking experience,” Rackin added. “Clearly, there’s a lot to gain from entering this contest.”
The winner of the contest will be awarded $300, along with a proclamation from the Bucks County Commissioners. Additionally, the winner will have the privilege of reading their work at a public reception. The runners-up and finalists will also be able to read their works in public.
The contest’s judging panel includes the current Bucks County Poet Laureate Tara Tamburello and former poet laureate Tom Mallouk, promising a fair and inspiring evaluation of the submissions.
Students wishing to enter the contest must submit their poems along with an application form available at www.bucks.edu/hspoetentry.
For those seeking more information about the Bucks County High School Poet of the Year program or the contest, Dr. Rackin encourages visiting the program’s website at www.bucks.edu/hs-poet or contacting her directly at ethel.rackin@bucks.edu.
