Poetry winners receive awards
The Friends of the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library held its awards ceremony on Dec. 5 for the annual fifth- and sixth-grade Young Poets Contest. Students read their poems aloud and received special prizes, a certificate of recognition and a booklet containing their poem.
This contest was open to any fifth- or sixth-grade student in Lenoir County, and the Friends received more than 200 entries. Friends board member Linda Solomon was on hand to assist with the ceremony.
The fifth-grade winners were: First place, David Allen Fulghum of Bethel Christian Academy; second place, Aaron McGough of Arendell Parrott Academy; third place, Tess Warren of Parrott; and fourth place, Abby Turner of Parrott.
Honorable mentions were Simal Omer of Parrott, Anna Morris of Parrott, Lintorion Grandy of Banks Elementary School, Elizabeth Whitfield of Moss Hill Elementary School, Nathan Hyde of Banks and Shane Whaley of Moss Hill.
The sixth-grade category winners were: First place, Kaitlyn Johnson; second place, Blythe Brantley; third place, Grace Williams; and fourth place, Brian Lin. All are students at Parrott Academy.
Honorable mentions were John Kirollos, Emily Piwowarski, Cambria Duke, McKinsey Walters, Mary Pau, and Matthew Edwards, all of Parrott.
“We are very proud of the winners and pleased with the participation we received for this event,” said Agnes Ho, Director of Libraries, Neuse Regional Library. “I would like to congratulate all of our winners, their parents and their families. I am always amazed at the poise of the students as they read the poems and the incredible creativity that they pour into their poems.
“It is encouraging to see so many young students who are so passionate about reading and writing,” Ho said. “We have tremendously talented students who go to school across Lenoir County, and we are very excited to give them this opportunity to express themselves.”
For more information on Friends of the Library programming, call 252-527-7066, ext. 130.