Many thanks to all of the school principals, school

librarians and teachers in East Haven for their

support and cooperation. We received more than

300 entries and the difficult task of choosing the

winners fell to an extraordinary group of Friends

of the Library. Most of all, we extend a special

thanks to all of the talented students who wrote

such wonderful poetry! Bravo!

Sascha Gardiner

Children’s Librarian

203-468-3890

sgardiner@leaplibraries.org

8th Annual

Poetry Contest 2009

Dedicated to Carolyn Siedzik,

beloved Children’s Librarian,

who inspired young poets for more than 30 years at

Hagaman Library

April 2009

Children’s Department

Hagaman Memorial Library

East Haven, CT

Page 2

First Place

Grade 2:

Seasons, by Dominick Crisco, St. Vincent de Paul School

Grade 3:

Just a Family, by Jordan Kikosicki, St. Vincent de Paul School

Grade 4:

Fun in the Sun, by Shannon Mastriano, St. Vincent de Paul School

Grade 5:

Snowflake Out My Window, by Amy DeFilippo, East Haven Academy

Grade 6:

Ocean to Ocean, by Victoria Preble, D.C. Moore School

Grade 7:

Jeans, by Amanda Michelle Garcia, JMMS

Grade 8:

Earthquake that Made No Sense, by Anthony Trimachi, JMMS

2009 Poetry Prize Winners Honorable Mention Page 27

Those Days

by Bryant Miranda

Grade 8, JMMS

Honorable Mention Page 26

This Path

by Cindy Recinos

Grade 8, JMMS

Page 3

Grade 2: Peace and Justice, by Augie Segger, St. Vincent de Paul

Grade 3: Billy, by Ellyn DiVerniero, St. Vincent de Paul School

Grade 3: Rainbow, by Olivia Coyle, St. Vincent de Paul School

Grade 4: Shooting Stars, by Taylor Spadory, St. Vincent de Paul

School

Grade 4: The City, by Daniel Molster, St. Vincent de Paul School

Grade 4: When I Grow Up, by Alexa Battaglino, Robert W.

Carbone School

Grade 5: Rocky Burgers, by Caitlyn Keish, Ferrara School

Grade 5: What I Think of Jack Frost, by James Weaver, Deer Run

School

Grade 5; St. Patrick’s Day, by Stefan Daniw, Ferrara School

Grade 6: Bunny Bunny Bunny, by Shahvuleh Qureshi, Carbone

School

Grade 7: The Summer Morning, by Susanna Longmire, Home

School

Grade 7: The Wall She Lies Between, by Medina Hammonds,

JMMS

Grade 8: Think, by Rose Maldonado, East Haven Academy

Grade 8: Those Days, by Bryant Miranda, JMMS

Grade 8: It Only Takes One Person, by Kayla Burt, JMMS

Grade 8: Pain, by Alexander Bamford, JMMS

Grade 8: I Believe, by Amber Williams, JMMS

Grade 8: A Wish, by Kelsey Cole, JMMS

Grade 8: This Path, by Cindy Recinos, JMMS

Grade 8: War, by Sarah Farnsworth, East Haven Academy

Honorable Mention

2009 Poetry Prize Winners

Page 4 First Place

Seasons

by Dominick Crisco

Grade 2, St. Vincent de Paul School

Honorable Mention Page 25

A Wish

by Kelsey Cole

Grade 8, JMMS

Honorable Mention Page 24

I Believe

by Amber Williams

Grade 8, JMMS

Page 5 First Place

Just a Family

by Jordan Kikosicki

Grade 3, St. Vincent de Paul School

Page 6

Fun in the Sun

by Shannon Mastriano

Grade 4, St. Vincent de Paul School

First Place Honorable Mention Page 23

Think (continued)

by Rose Maldonado

Grade 8, East Haven Academy

Honorable Mention Page 22

Think

by Rose Maldonado

Grade 8, East Haven Academy

First Place Page 7

Snowflake Out My Window

by Amy DeFilippo

Grade 5, East Haven Academy

First Place Page 8

Ocean to Ocean

by Victoria Preble

Grade 6, D.C. Moore School

Honorable Mention Page 21

The Walls She Lies Between

Honorable Mention Page 20

The Summer Morning

by Susanna Longmire

Grade 7, Home-schooled

First Place Page 9

Jeans

by Amanda Michelle Garcia

Grade 7, JMMS

First Place Page 10

Earthquake That Made No Sense

by Anthony Trimachi

Grade 8, JMMS

Honorable Mention Page 19

Bunny Bunny Bunny

by Shahvuleh Qureski

Grade 6, Carbone School

Honorable Mention Page 18

St. Patrick’s Day

by Stefan Daniw

Grade 5, Ferrara School

First Place Page 11

Earthquake That Made No Sense

by Anthony Trimachi

Grade 8, JMMS

Honorable Mention Page 12

Peace and Justice

by Augie Segger

Grade 2, St. Vincent de Paul School

Peace in my bedroom,

1 year ago (in 2008) I couldn’t get any peace to sleep

Because my (little) brother was too busy crying and whining!

Peace with my friends,

Everyone who is fast in my class makes fun of me

If only I could be fast

They give me high-fives, but say “too slow”

If only I could be fast!

PROBLEMS SOLVED!!

My (little) brother doesn’t cry anymore!

I’m still slow, but my friends don’t tease me anymore!

Honorable Mention Page 17

What I Think of Jack Frost

by James Weaver

Grade 5, Deer Run School

Honorable Mention Page 16

The City

by Daniel Molster

Grade 4, St. Vincent de Paul School

Honorable Mention Page 13

BILLY

by Ellyn DiVerniero

Grade 3, St. Vincent de Paul School

Honorable Mention Page 14

Rainbow

by Olivia Coyle

Grade 3, St. Vincent de Paul School

Honorable Mention Page 15

Shooting Stars

by Taylor Spadory

Grade 4, St. Vincent de Paul School