Student readings, awards cap 30th annual Artistic Verses at Torggler
Posted: March 11, 2024
Students read from their poetry submissions and place winners were recognized at the Artistic Verses Student Readings and Awards Ceremony the morning of March 9 at the Mary M. Torggler Fine Arts Center at Christopher Newport University.
This marked the 30th anniversary of Artistic Verses, which is a collaborative partnership between Newport News Public Schools and CNU.
This school year, up to 30 students from each high school had the opportunity to view an art exhibition and engage in a poetry writing workshop with local poet Nathan Richardson. Students wrote original poems inspired by the artwork and submitted them for judging by the NNPS Secondary English Team.
"Our students didn't make it easy for us," said Kelly McCoig, instructional supervisor for Secondary English. "The panel of judges deliberated for quite some time and even added extra honorable mentions because the student work was that impressive."
During Saturday's event, all students were invited to read their poems, families and attendees were able to view the artwork that inspired the poetry, certificates were presented to all participants and winners were announced.
Artistic Verses 2024 Contest Winners
1st place
"Hot Comb & Mitten" by Mya Pridgen
Woodside High School
Artistic Inspiration: Hot Comb and Mitten
2nd place
"Strands of Love: A Kitchen's Embrace" by Arianna Frazier
Achievable Dream High School
Artistic Inspiration: Hot Comb and Mitten
3rd place (tie)
"Yellow" by Chaniya Painter
Achievable Dream High School
Artistic Inspiration: Young Lady in Yellow Dress
"Daffodil Days" by Molly Weisiger
Menchville High School
Artistic Inspiration: Daffodil Days
Honorable Mentions
"My Twisted Fate" by Dylan Fox
Woodside High School
Artistic Inspiration: Victim and Accused
"Numbers on a Page" by Massimilliano Ariano
Warwick High School
Artistic Inspiration: Regression Group #3
"One Way" by Raymond Hayes
Heritage High School
Artistic Inspiration: Unknown
"Bleach Me Proper" by Cilyce Hicks
Woodside High School
Artistic Inspiration: The Art of Sealing Ends Part II
