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2014 SARAH MOOK
POETRY PRIZE

The Sarah Mook Memorial Poetry Contest is entering its tenth year. We appreciate the continuing support of so many teachers, parents, and especially the young writers, many of whom we have seen grow up over the years through reading their poems.

POSTMARK DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IS MARCH 31, 2014.

Awards - $100 First Prize, $50 Second Prize, $25 Third Prize in each of four categories: kindergarten through second grade, third through fifth, sixth through eighth, and ninth through twelfth. Prize money is provided by a fund established in Sarah's memory.

Optional donations are given in Sarah's name each year to a designated charity. This year's donations, as they have been for the past three years, will go to Smile Train, an organization providing free cleft surgery for millions of poor children in developing countries. Last year, the donation to Smile Train was $570 and provided two surgeries. An optional donation of $5.00 will be greatly appreciated along with your poems. Please make donations payable to Sarah Mook Outreach Fund.

Yes, the cash awards and charitable giving are both important, but the focus of our effort is always the young poets and their poems. Careful consideration is given to every poem submitted, and the finalist's poems are read numerous times before any decisions are
made. Final judge Marie Kane takes great care in judging each poem and provides a detailed commentary on the poetic merits of each of the winning poems. It is heartening to know that we are succeeding in inspiring young writers and rewarding their efforts. Previous winners and runners-up are allowed to enter again, provided they use different poems.

RULES FOR THE CONTEST:

1. To promote fairness, any student whose entry or entries have been previously read by final judge Marie Kane IN THIS CONTEST OR ANY OTHER is advised to submit different poems. Entries will not be selected if recognized by the judge.

2. THE STUDENT'S NAME, ADDRESS, OR SCHOOL SHOULD NOT APPEAR ON THE POEMS THEMSELVES.

3. ENTER UP TO TWO POEMS (NO MORE) OF THE STUDENT'S ORIGINAL WORK, OF ANY LENGTH, ON ANY SUBJECT, ANY STYLE.

4. Poems must be typed or word-processed.

5. Please include a TYPED, SEPARATE COVER SHEET WITH: student name, address, grade level, school name (home schoolers welcome) and the poem title(s).

6. Winners will be notified by mail in late May.

THE STUDENT'S NAME, ADDRESS, OR SCHOOL SHOULD NOT APPEAR ON THE POEMS THEMSELVES.

Teachers: When submitting a class set of poems, please include your full name, name of the school, a list of student names, their poem titles, grade level for each student, contact information for the school, and a self-addressed-stamped-envelope and/or your email address to receive the results.

Please note that a donation is optional. All poems received by the deadline will be eligible for prizes. Entries must be POSTMARKED by March 31, 2014. Winners will be announced in late May.

Mail entries to: Sarah Mook Poetry Prize
896 Ferncliff Road
Poultney, VT 05764

Winning poets receive prize money and their poems along with Marie Kane's comments are published on the Poetry WITS (Writing in the Schools) website.

Thank you. We look forward to reading your poems!

David Mook and Family
Email: davidmook@aol.com

I PLAY A GAME WITH MY DAD by Sarah Mook (1st Grade) We have a piece of paper with words on it. Then we copy one word off it, then another, all silly like bees with fish wings or this ivy stick with books hanging off it instead of leaves. When we play this game I am as happy as a dolphin singing a song.