Support Our Poetry Contest

The Zoe Loren Foundation invites you to tell a story and take us on your journey.

Write a poem about ‘Perceptions’.

Here are some things to think about related to the prompt, but you can use the prompt in any way that suits you:

What causes us to perceive things in a certain way?

Are our perceptions accurate?

What happens when we realize our perception was wrong?

Should we challenge our perceptions?

Are you perceived differently than how you perceive yourself?

Who Can Enter

Palm Beach County students in grades 7-8 or grades 9-12.

Fees

There is no fee to enter the contest

When Can I Enter

Sept 12, 2022 through October 28, 2022

Winners

Prizes will be awarded to winners of each poetry contest, in both the middle school (grades 7-9) and high school (grades 10-12) categories.

There will be only one People’s Choice Winner - chosen from the Spoken Word category only.

Prizes

1st Place - $500

2nd Place - $250

3rd Place - $100

People's Choice Award - $100

Winners Announced

December 5, 2022

Spoken Word Poetry

Judging

Poetry will be judged in the following areas:

Message/Content - 25%

• The content is relevant to the prompt
• The piece has a powerful and meaningful message to the audience

Technique - 25%

• Facial expression, hand and body gestures emphasize different elements of the piece.
• Enunciation is clear.
• Rhythm, pace and tempo contributes to the impact of the poem.

Originality - 15%

• The piece must be an original work by the student performing it.

Overall Presentation - 35%

• The spoken piece is delivered with passion.
• The student makes a connection with the audience through their physical presence and dramatic delivery of the piece.

Spoken word poetry is a performance art that is word based. It is poetry that is meant to be spoken or delivered with emotions to an audience. It focuses on the art of word play, rhythm, intonation, improvisation and voice inflection.

Written Word Poetry

Judging

Poetry will be judged in the following areas:

Message/Content - 25%

• The content is relevant to the prompt
• The piece has a powerful and meaningful message to the audience

Technique - 25%

• Use of Poetic devices: Imagery, figurative language, alliteration, rhyme, rhythm, meter, etc.
• Poem reflects a poetic style: Rhyming poetry, free verse, blank verse, sonnet, Haiku, etc

Originality - 15%

• The piece must be an original work by the student performing it.

Overall Presentation - 35%

• The poem is vivid, interesting, captures the reader’s attention in the first line and keeps them engaged to the end of the poem.

About us

The Zoe Loren Foundation was established to celebrate Zoe’s life and to honor her memory by providing opportunities in the arts for under-served K-12 Palm Beach County students. Our goal is to use the power of art to engage, inspire and empower local students via individual scholarships, as well as funding to local non-profits in need of an arts program.

Our mission is to enrich the lives of Palm Beach County’s children by providing opportunities for exploration and inspiration.