The Center for Teaching and Learning in Edgecomb’s student poets swept the boards in the Poetry Society of Virginia annual youth contest.

From the more than 450 poems submitted from schools in many states, CTL captured first, second and third prize, plus first and second honorable mention, in grades 5 and 6. In grades 7 and 8, they won first and third prize. The competition is judged by well-known poets who live in Virginia.

CTL’s winning poems and poets are “Zip Line” by Dae Kent, “Where Poems Hide” by Sam Sinibaldi, “Birds and a Winter Morning” by Marcus Russano, “Questions by Zoe Ruff, “Different” by Katie Sanborn, “Sailing Sonnet” by Lucas Steinberger and “The Swing” by Nicco Bartone.

At a time when many educators and parents are concerned about lack of academic progress by male students as writers and readers, CTL’s workshops do a remarkable job of addressing the need for boys — as well as girls — to write about their unique feelings, ideas and experiences, to lose themselves in books they love, and to engage with their whole hearts and minds. Every kind of student can thrive when stories and self-expression are the heart of the language arts curriculum. For more information, visit www.c-t-l.org.