2013 Poetry of Place Celebration

 

 

Nebraska Capitol Rotunda
Capitol Rotunda

 

 

Twyla Hansen and Student Poets
Autograph Session

 

 

Student Poets
Student Poets

 

 

Twyla Hansen and Matt Mason
Twyla Hansen, Matt Mason

 

The Poetry of Place Celebration

Please join the Nebraska Writing Project in a poetry event that reflects life in Nebraska. The purpose of this program is to encourage Nebraska students to write poetry about place and to make that poetry more visible.  Nine to twelve Nebraska student poets will be selected to have their writing published on the Nebraska Writing Project website and participate in public readings at various venues in the state, including a reading on May 3rd, 2013 in the Warner Chambers at the State Capitol Building alongside Nebraska Poets Twyla Hansen, and Matt Mason. 


THE PROCESS

All Nebraska students, grade one through twelve, in NSAA classified A, B, C and D schools are encouraged to submit an original poem, reflective of that student's 'place' to their teacher.

Participating teachers will select up to four poems, from each of three grade divisions (1-5, 6-8, 9-12), up to 12 poems per school  Poems will be forwarded to the Nebraska Writing Project (NeWP) at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.

Nebraska poets Twyla Hansen and Matt Mason will read the poems and, based on quality and their representation of Nebraska place in rural, urban, and suburban settings, will make the final selection.  They will choose 9 to 12 poems to be published on the Nebraska Writing Project website.

Selected student poets will be invited to read their work at various venues around Nebraska as well as the Poetry of Place Celebration on May 3rd, 2013 at the State Capitol in Lincoln, alongside Twyla Hansen and Matt Mason.

EVENT GUIDELINES:  (Please review carefully, as submissions not following guidelines cannot be considered.  Pelase coordinate within your school to insure that no more than 4 poems per age division are submitted by your school.)

  • Send no more than 12 poems per school, 4 per age division.
  • Each poem must be submitted by a sponsoring teacher, as an individual email, with the student's name and complete school name in the subject line
  • Poems must be in doc format (not pdf), titled, and NO name on the poem page
  • Each poem must be accompanied by a cover letter and signed consent form (doc or pdf)
  • Entries, cover letters and consent forms must be submitted via emailed (as attachments, not embedded) to: PoetryOfPlace@gmail.com
  • Direct questions to contact persons listed below

SUBMISSION MATERIALS: 

IMPORTANT DATES

March 25th, 2013:  Deadline for receipt of all materials at NeWP (late entries will not be considered)
April 22nd, 2013:  Notification of results, selected poets and sponsoring teachers via mail, others via by email
May 3rd, 2013: Poetry reading at Nebraska State Capitol (Warner Chambers) with Nebraska poets Twyla Hansen and Matt Mason.

TEACHER RESOURCE MATERIALS:

CONTACT US:

Robert E. Brooke
Director, Nebraska Writing Project
Department of English
202 Andrews Hall
University of Nebraska-Lincoln 
Lincoln , NE 68588-0333
(402) 472-1807
rbrooke1@unl.edu

Sharon Bishop
Board Member, Nebraska Writing Project
P.O. Box 234
Henderson, NE 68371
(402) 723-4434
bishopsharon11@gmail.com

Jeff Lacey
Ralston High School
7637 Maywood Street
Ralston, NE 68127
402-339-9108
jeff_lacey@ralstonschools.org

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