PB POETRY FESTIVAL Launches 2017 Poetry Contest for Local High School Students

Blaise Allen, Ph.D., the Director of Community Outreach for the Palm Beach Poetry Festival, today announced that the non-profit organization has launched its annual Palm Beach County High School Poetry Contest, in partnership with Old School Square in Delray Beach.

Between October 1 and December 1, any Palm Beach County public or private high school student can submit one original poem (30 lines maximum) for consideration. Original poems should be submitted by email before midnight on December 1 to PBPF1@aol.com. For contest rules, visit www.palmbeachpoetryfestival.org.

The winning poet will receive $200, and the four runner-up high school poets will each receive $100. In addition, all five winners will receive a pair of tickets to the Poetry Festival's Sizzling Spoken Word event at Old School Square's Crest Theater on Friday, January 19, at 8 pm. This performance event will feature National Award winning Slam Poets Elizabeth Acevedo and G. Yamazawa.

The five winning high school poets will read their poems at the Festival's Award Ceremony on Monday, January 15, 2018 at 4 pm, where they will have the opportunity of meeting and having their pictures taken with 11 of America's most distinguished and award-winning poets. In addition, the winning poems will be published online on the Festival's official website at www.palmbeachpoetryfestival.org/news/2017-hs-poetry-contest.

The judge for the annual High School Poetry Contest will once again be Dr. Jeff Morgan of Lynn University's Department of English in Boca Raton.

The 14th annual Palm Beach Poetry Festival will be held next January 15-20 at Old School Square in Delray Beach. The Festival features top poets at numerous ticketed public events, including readings, talks, interviews, panel discussions and more. Nine workshops will be offered for which applications are required. Special Guest Poet will be Coleman Barks, a major poet and the world's leading expert on 13th century poet Rumi, the founder of Sufism - as well as the likely namesake of one of the recently born twins of Beyoncé and Jay Z.

The distinguished poets who will lead poetry-writing workshops at the Festival include Laure-Anne Bosselaar, Gabrielle Calvocoressi, Chard deNiord, Beth Ann Fennelly, Ross Gay, Rodney Jones, Phillis Levin, Aimee Nezhukumatathil and Tim Seibles; with individual conferences offered by nationally acclaimed poets: Lorna Knowles Blake, Sally Bliumis-Dunn and Nickole Brown. In addition, Slam Champions Elizabeth Acevedo and G Yamazawa will co-host a Sizzling Spoken Word event, and there will be a Special Tribute to Poet Thomas Lux, a longtime supporter of the Festival who passed away earlier this year.

The 2018 Palm Beach Poetry Festival is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture; Morgan Stanley & The Legacy Group of Atlanta; the Cultural Council of Palm County, the Palm Beach County Tourism Development Council and the Board of Commissioners of Palm Beach County; The Palm Beach Post; Visit Florida; WLRN; and Murder on the Beach, Delray Beach's independent bookseller.

For more information about the Palm Beach Poetry Festival, visit www.palmbeachpoetryfestival.org.

Pictured: Winners of the Palm Beach Poetry Festival's High School Poetry Contest 2017: Haleigh McGirt, Aleah Searfoss, Juliana Romero (1st Place Winner), Owen Gable, Samantha Marshall. Photo by Michiko Kurisu.

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