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Who is eligible?
Children 5-19
years of age, who are not yet in college. Youth older than 19, but still in
high school, are eligible.
When is the deadline?
Each year, US entries must be postmarked by February 15th and received by February
22nd. International entries must be received by March 1st. Entries can be mailed
in throughout the year; any entries received after the deadline will be automatically
held for the next year's contest.
Where do I mail my entries?
Entries are mailed to the national level and, from there, mailed to the state
level for state judging. Submit entries to: River of Words Contest, PO Box 4000-J,
Berkeley, CA 94704, USA
Who sponsors River of
Words?
ROW is a nonprofit educational organization, incorporated in the State of California,
supported by grants from foundations and donations from individuals, businesses,
and government agencies, like the Environmental Protection Agency. ROW is affiliated
with The Library of Congress Center for the Book, and, in Colorado, with the
Colorado Center for the Book and the Colorado Foundation for Water Education.
What ROW resources are
there?
River of Words produces and distributes curriculum materials, community partnership
resources, and children's art and poetry. Using a grant from the Colorado Endowment
for the Humanities (CEH), Kathryn Winograd, a Colorado educator and Colorado
Book Award Winner, has developed an online curriculum for teachers. The River of Words curriculum,
Teaching the Poetry of Rivers, is now accessible.
Another resource is The Online Poetry Classroom, www.onlinepoetryclassroom.org/index.cfm, which contains lesson plans and searchable poet and poetry databases.
National websites on poetry include www.poets.org and www.modernamericanpoetry.com.
Who judges the work?
Nationally, former US Poet Laureate (1995-1997) and ROW cofounder, Robert Hass
judges the poetry, and Thacher Hurd judges the art. Locally, Colorado poets
and Colorado Book Award winners judge the poetry. Each year judges are chosen
for their background in local connection to education, art, poetry and the environment.
When is the awards ceremony?
The awards ceremony in Colorado has been held in the spring. The awards are
hosted by various venues, including the University of Colorado at Denver as
a part of the annual Denver Poetry Festival. Children are given a printed booklet
produced by the Colorado Center for the Book containing their winning entries
as a keepsake, as well as other prizes.
What is Colorado's Participation?
Over 240 children entered River of Words in 2006.
To access the Teaching the Poetry of Rivers Teacher Curriculum:
Please click here for access!