News Release Distributed 05/30/14
BATON ROUGE, La. – The winners of the first Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and 4-H Youth Wetlands Program poetry contest were recently announced. Students wrote and entered more than 400 poems focusing on the theme “Louisiana’s Coast: What Does It Mean to You?”
The contest was divided into three age groups: upper elementary, middle school and high school. First- place winners in each group received $200. Those in second place received $100, and third-place recipients were awarded $50.
Each of the winner’s homeroom teachers received $50.
The winners in the upper elementary division were: first place, Stephen Embrey, Ruston, Lincoln Parish; second place, Nikos Verlenden, New Orleans, Orleans Parish; third place, Eleanor Guichet, New Orleans, Orleans Parish.
Middle school winners were: first place, Daniel Guille, River Ridge, Jefferson Parish; second place, Caitlin McFarland, New Orleans, Orleans Parish; third place Emma Beauchamp, St. Francisville, West Feliciana Parish.
The high school division winners were: first place, Meredith Perniciaro, River Ridge, Jefferson Parish; second place, Gilberto Sotres, New Orleans, Orleans Parish; third place, Madison Pillaro, New Iberia, Iberia Parish.
The poems will be featured in the CPRA Annual Plan for 2015 and in 4-H Youth Wetlands Program publications. The poems can be found at www.coastal.la.gov/poetrycontest/.
Craig Gautreaux