Writing festival announces winners

What better way is there to share your hobby or passion than entering it in a contest? The Raymond Carver Writing Festival, which started in 2022, enables youth and adults to write poems that go along with the theme and win cash prizes. This year, over 70 poems were submitted for the contest.

The judges had to pick a first place and second place for age groups 8-11, 12-15, 16-18, and adult. The judges for the youth were Estrella Brown, Dayle Olson, and Armin Tolentino; and the four judges for the adults were Maji Hogan, Scott MacGregor, Michael Calvin Mills, and Cliff Taylor. The judges read to see which poems followed this year’s theme, "Call it a Polestar."

Last Saturday at the Clatskanie Cultural Center, Birkenfeld Theater, the first and second place winners from all the age groups were able to read their poems and receive their prize and award given by Estella Hamilton and Mayor Robert "Bob" Brajcich. The second-place winner received $25, and first-place winner received $50.

The second-place winner for ages 8-11 was Audrey Hepler with her poem, "Shepherd and Sheep," and the first place winner was Holly Isaacson with her poem, "You're my friend..." For ages 12-15, Hailey Neeley took second place with her poem, "Call it a Star," and first place went to Heidi Isaacson with her poem, "Guiding Light." For ages 16-18, Estella Hamilton won second place with her poem, "Dowsing Rod," and Maria Vittoria Altafini won first place with, "Love, The First Compass."

The judges had such a hard time picking the better poem for the adults, and the votes were split in half. The judges then decided to make both poems, “Gnat Creek” by Janet Ebert, and “Dark Summer” by Craig Brandis, first place for the adult age group. To find more information about the Raymond Carver Writing Festival, go to clatskaniearts.org.