Kids: Create a Column

   I love writing about winners. So I'm thrilled to congratulate Kiera Nelson, the grand prizewinner of the Gwinnett County Public Library's Teen Read Week Poetry Contest. Kiera, a ninth grader at South Gwinnett High School, competed with over 475 young poets and won a $250 shopping spree at Discover Mills. She credits her teacher, Vicki Guy, for inspiration. Kiera's winning poem, "The Art of Poetry (The Poetry in Art)" is posted at www.gwinnettpl.org
   Of course this doesn't have to stop with praise for Kiera. There are lots of kids' contests out there and the more Gwinnett students who win them the more I have to write about.
   For starters, River of Words, in affiliation with The Library of Congress, conducts an international poetry and art contest. The contest is designed to help youth explore the natural and cultural history of where they live and to express through art or poetry what they discover. Any child in the world from 5-19 years of age may enter. Prizes include goodies like t-shirts, books and art supplies, but best of all, publication on the ROW Web site. Info: www.riverofwords.org/ 
   The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. invites Georgia youth to participate in a variety of competitions. These include the Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl poster contests, "Plant a Seed, Leave a Legacy" poetry contest, "Plant a Garden for the Future" pre-schoolers art contest and a variety of contest for high school students. Prizes range from twenty-five dollars cash to $2000 college scholarships. Any child may enter, but the Garden Club recommends that a local garden club sponsor entrants. (Info: Molly Kimler, 770-464-3589 or mkimler@uga.edu  
   On the local level, Laura Bryant, educational director of Mill Creek Nature Center has announced "The Wonder of Water" video contest and poster contest for children. Winners will be recognized at a special ceremony with prizes during Drinking Water Week in May 2004. MCNC is also sponsoring the Wetlands TileArt Project. For a ten-dollar donation, children of all ages can paint a wetland scene on a tile. There are no prizes, but selected tiles will be permanently displayed on the walls of the new nature center scheduled to open in the spring of 2004. Info: Laura Bryant, 770-614-0562 or lbryant@gwf.org 
   And finally, Dale Higdon, senior forester with the Georgia Forestry Commission, sent me great news about the 2004 National Arbor Day Poster Contest. Open only to fifth graders, the theme is "Trees are Terrific…in Cities and Towns." The first place winner will receive a $1,000 savings bond and the sponsoring teacher $200 for classroom supplies. The winner, along with his/her parents and teacher, will also receive an expense-paid trip to Nebraska City, NE for the Awards Weekend, April 30-May 1, 2004. Info: Myrt Phillips, 478-751-3528 or www.arborday.org/postercontest 
   So, kids, pick up you pens or paintbrushes. Create a winning piece of work - and another column for me to write. 

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