For Students of North Carolina Schools
What are the contest categories?
The Travis Tuck Jordan Award
is for students in Grades 3 — 5.
The Joan Scott Memorial Award
is for poems about the environment
and is for students in Grades 3 — 8.
The Mary Chilton Award
is for students in Grades 6 — 8.
The Sherry Pruitt Award
is for students in Grades 9 — Undergraduate.
The Lyman Haiku Award
is for students in Grades 9 — Undergraduate.
— All poems (except those in the Haiku category) may be in any form
but may not exceed 32 lines per poem. No copies will be returned.
What are the contest guidelines?
1. Student may submit a different poem to each category for which he or she is eligible.
2. Send two typed copies of each poem on 8½ x 11 inch paper.
3. In the upper left corner of each copy, type the name of the category.
Do not put your name or address on these copies.
4. On a separate piece of paper, type or print:
- the name of the category and the title of the poem
- your name, home address, telephone number, and e-mail address
- the name of your school, your grade, your teacher's name and e-mail address,
and your school's address and telephone number.
Your teacher must sign this piece of paper before you send it with the poem(s).
You must sign this paper and write in your handwriting,
"I pledge that this is my original poem."
Where do I mail my contest entries?
— Mail your entries to:
Sherry Thrasher
6537 English Oaks Dr
Raleigh, NC 27615
When will I know if I have won an award?
— Winners will be notified in April, 2010. Winners will also be invited to Awards Day,
which will be on May 15, 2010, at the Weymouth Center in Southern Pines, NC.
How will the winning poems be published?
— Winning poems will be published in Pinesong, the North Carolina Poetry Society's
annual contest anthology. Each winner will receive one free copy of this anthology.
— Winning poems may be chosen as student poem-of-the-month on the North Carolina
Poetry Society website (with the permission of the author).
What about other poetry opportunities?
— Winners and honorable mentions in college, high school, or middle school are invited
to apply to become Student Poets in the
Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Series.
Please note these contest policies:
— A judge can reserve the right not to give awards.
— NCPS reserves the right to cancel a contest due to lack or or low number of submissions.