Lauren Estes-Velez

Hartselle Enquirer

Three Hartselle Junior High eighth graders recently won top honors in poetry contest held by Jacksonville State University.

HJHS English teacher Shelia Reeves said they read and recently analyzed The Diary of Anne Frank and as a part of their study, participated in a statewide writing contest.

“It was designed to teach the importance of Holocaust history and its continuing influence in today’s world,” Reeves said. “The English faculty at Jacksonville State University developed this idea 35 years ago with the theme of “Imagining the Holocaust.” Their hope is that through this educational project, students will better understand not just a facet of world history but also the power they have as individuals to make changes.”

HJHS students entered the poetry category of the contest, and three eighth grade students won the first, second, and third place prizes.

Sophie Strickland’s poem “The Closet” received third place; Bret Evans’s poem “Colors” won second, and Olivia Patterson’s poem “Aaron Rosenburg” earned first place.

“The students were honored at JSU”s annual Holocaust Memorial Commemoration on April 13 where Olivia read her award-winning poem as part of the program,” Reeves said. “It’s really neat to have a winner from your own school in this type of contest, but even more so when all three winners are from your school.”

Each of the winning students took home cash prizes.