Maxwell Corydon Wheat, Jr.
Nassau County Poet Laureate

Open to all students in the Nassau County school system.

Three categories:
• Grades K through 5 (Elementary)
• Grades 6 through 8 (Secondary)
• Grades 9 through 12 (High School)

                            Guidelines

•   One poem per student in the appropriate grade category

• Student’s name, age, grade, address, phone number, email address (if you have email), and school name and address MUST be noted on the poem

•  Poem should be typewritten and in English and fit on one page (12 point Times New Roman preferred)

•  Poem can be on any subject
For sample poems, go to www.maxwellcorydonwheatjr.com

• There is NO fee to enter

• Previously published poems are acceptable; please state publication name and date published

• DEADLINE: postmarked by January 15, 2009

• NO EMAIL SUBMISSIONS, PLEASE. MAIL POEMS TO:
NCPL School Poetry Contest, c/o J. TUREK, P O Box 611, East Meadow, NY 11554

READING AND AWARDS CEREMONY
An Award of Excellence certificate, signed by our Nassau County Poet Laureate, Maxwell Corydon Wheat, Jr., will be given in each category for Best Poems. We plan to make this a fun event for the students with a poetry reading of the poems selected and others as time allows. There will be free raffles and prizes. The Reading and Awards Ceremony will be held on Sunday, April 26th, 2009, at 2 p.m., at The Freeport Memorial Library, 144 West Merrick Road, Freeport, NY 11520. Students, parents, family and friends, teachers and school personnel are welcome to join us at this historic event. Further details will be mailed to participants at a later date.

ANTHOLOGY
A collection of the outstanding poems will be published in an anthology, which will be given to the students whose poems are in the book and copies to be donated to libraries. Production of this anthology will be a landmark historic work for Nassau County and future generations, as well as being an opportunity for students to experience the joy of being published.

Nassau County Poet Laureate Committee
Paula Camacho, Coordinator * Beverly Kotch, Outreach Chairperson *
Maria Manobianco, Public Relations * Ursula Nouza, Outreach *
Judy Turek, School Project Chairperson *
Consultants: Susan Astor, Sue Korman, Patti Tana