Two young poets from the Center for Teaching and Learning in Edgecomb placed in the 2024 Sarah Mook Poetry Contest. The contest received over 1,000 entries from across the United States, Canada, India, Singapore, and South Korea.

In the grades 1-2 category, Saylor Mallory placed third for her poem “Crunch of Boots.” And in the grades 6-8 category, Jacqueline Kiss Branch placed third for her poem "You Don't Have to be Good." Each poet received comments from the contest judges and a $25 cash prize.

Contest judge Marie Kane writes, “For seventeen years, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of being the Final Judge of the Sarah Mook scholastic poetry contest; the poems continue to amaze and surprise me with their strength, maturity, and truth-telling. All the finalists’ poems this year are wide-ranging in topic, voice, and poetic dexterity. I immensely enjoyed reading them." She adds, "Congratulations to all the entrants, and special recognition to the winners of this competitive poetry challenge.”

The contest was created in memory of Sarah Mook, a Pennsylvania student and young poet who suddenly passed away while in third grade in 1995. Her family created the contest to honor Sarah and to inspire and encourage young poets. Winning poems will be published in a few weeks at http://www.sarahmookpoetrycontest.com/

For more information about CTL's writing program, or for general inquiries about the school, visit www.c-t-l.org or follow the school on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CTLKto8.