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NECC Sponsors Annual Peace Poetry Contest

Submitted by on February 8, 2011 – 9:57 am

Students in grades kindergarten through 12, both from public and private schools, as well as Northern Essex Community College students, are invited to participate in Northern Essex Community College’s Third Annual Peace Poetry Contest and Reading. Participants may create and submit original poems on the subject of peace.

The deadline for submission is Tuesday, March 15. Some 80 poems and accompanying artwork will be selected for publication in a small book of poetry to be published later in the spring. In addition, selected entrants will be invited to take part in a poetry reading from 6-8:30p.m. on Friday, May 6 in the Technology Center on the Haverhill Campus.

Last year’s contest, the second annual, attracted over 800 entries from more than 44 schools including a poem from a 10 year old boy from Lahore, Pakistan, who wrote about the grim realities of the violence he faces daily as well as his hope for peace.

The contest is coordinated by NECC professor of English Dr. Paul G. Saint-Amand, a Vietnam era veteran who is committed to peace. “As an educator, I want to fuel children’s imaginations toward peace,” he says. “A lot more has been written about war than about peace.”

NECC students are collaborating on the project and have developed a website, designed posters and award certificates, and will host the public reading.

Entries can be submitted to peacepoetry@necc.mass.edu or NECC Peace Poetry Contest, 100 Elliott St., Spurk 317H, Haverhill, MA 01830-2399.

For additional information contact Paul Saint-Amand at 978-556-3307, psaintamand@necc.mass.edu or visit the webpage at https://www.necc.mass.edu/academics/enrichment/service-learning/peace-poetry/

This contest is sponsored by the NECC Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs, the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, the English Department, and the Service Learning Committee.