Middle and High School Winners
Through 2016 winners were not ranked by place
In some cases the same student is listed more than once. Because we use blind judging for these contests the judges have no idea they have awarded more than one place to the same student.
Selected Reader Poem Title School
2017 Judging by Prof. Rick Hilles of Vanderbilt University
First Place
Donovan Vu Shelter Pine View School
Second Place
Noah Bradford The Poet Tree Sarasota HS
Third Place
Donovan Vu Có hiêu Pine View School
Honorable Mention
Sophia Famiglio Home Booker Middle School
Roxy Gevas Spring Magic Booker Middle School
Colton T. Hammersla Somewhere Quiet George Jenkins HS
Alexis Hess Dangerous George Jenkins HS
Ethan Lubow Self Doubt Booker Middle School
Raj Parmar A Copper Colored Evening Pine View School
Mathew Pitchford Alone Time Pine View School
Amy Richey She Vanished George Jenkins HS
Augie Spieske Transcend Pine View School
Dane Vallrugo Above the Sky Pine View School
Donovan Vu In Plain Sight Pine View School
2016 Judging by MFA students at Vanderbilt University, directed by Prof. Rick Hilles
Noah Bradford Dead Boy Sarasota HS
Noah Bradford Ghosts Sarasota HS
Jonathan Brenes Acceptance Sarasota Military Academy
Jonathan Brenes A Marionette of the World Sarasota Military Academy
Kasey Ferace God Help the Girl Booker MS
Mary Ashley Fulton Cluttered Cities and Empty People Out-of-Door Academy
Dominique Golder Dictionary Love Sarasota HS
Laura Gwilliam Body Love Sarasota Military Academy
Audrey Meyer Secret City Home Schooled
LaNiya Smith Top of the Canyon Booker MS
2015 Judging by MFA students at Vanderbilt University, directed by Prof. Rick Hilles
Jillian Alexander My Grandma’s Abode Student Leadership Academy
Cailey Cantrell Darling Sarasota Military Academy
Thaleia Daserg A Mulberry Stained Summer Booker MS
Akila Davis Shaw The Hidden Woods Defy Description Booker MS
Jonathan Dreier Ode to Motorsports Student Leadership Academy
Jordan Febish November Morning Booker MS
Dominique Golder I Walked with Wolves Booker MS
Zeban Kaiser Walls Made of Mirrors Booker MS
Sadie Lipman This Is the Life 7/31/14 Sarasota Military Academy
Ava Plank The Unseen Booker MS
Chandler Powell Odd Booker High School
Payton Saturen You Are More Than a Poem Booker MS
LaShaughn Waiters Mission: Achieve Perfection Booker MS
Jamilah Walker Sea Dragons Booker MS
Meredith Worthley After a short elevator ride up to the Sarasota Military Academy
top of the downtown parking garage
2014 Judging by MFA students at Vanderbilt University, directed by Prof. Rick Hilles
Liam Antoszewski Fire and Ice Booker MS
Austin Benoit Brought to the Light Student Leadership Academy
Jeremy Brister August Moon Booker MS
Kris Brzostek Mundane PineView
Grace Castilow Change Booker MS
Michael Clancy Midnight Sun Booker MS
Akila Davis Shaw Broken Booker MS
Jordan Febish My Willow Booker MS
Alexandra Finnerty Pieces Booker MS
MIkayla Freck Thankful Life Student Leadership Academy
Jasmine Freeman Lunar Identity Booker MS
Ella Gerdes Memories of the Past Booker MS
Dominique Golder Welcome to Florida Booker MS
Alexandra Guelzow Life’s Library Sarasota Military Academy
Eleni Martin Organic Lullaby Booker MS
Rose Milner Spiritual Guide Booker MS
Chandni Patel The Poems I Have Not Written Booker MS
Payton Saturen Dance Booker MS
Connor Swenson Dichotomy Booker MS
Marc A. Valdovinas Father Student Leadership Academy
Jamilah Walker Fibannaci Booker MS
Meredith Worthley Bricks Sarasota Military Academy
2013 Judging by MFA students at Vanderbilt University, directed by Prof. Rick Hilles
Jasmine Banks The Race North Port HS
Sarah Rose Brown Wishes North Port HS
Courtney Cramer Rainy Day Talks North Port HS
Georgia Cross A Wild Flame North Port HS
Alexandra Finnerty Starry Night Pantoum Booker MS
Kevon Harvey Zapped Booker MS
Kiara Mitchell I Am Booker MS
Seth Morano Written in Stone Booker MS
Asia Pollack I Am Not My Parents or Their Ways Booker MS
Savonika J. Roth The Red Rain North Port HS
Payton Saturen Red Wool Jacket Booker MS
Peighton Zook Like a Baseball Through a Window Booker MS