“Dust off your poems, revise them and turn them in!” Janice Northerns, English instructor, said, referring to the upcoming poetry contest Seward County Community College has every year. 

The deadline for the poetry contest is fast approaching. The last day to turn in poetry is March 31. Everyone is welcomed to turn in their own pieces to the contest and can turn in up to three poems.

There are three categories contestants fall under, which are young poet’s category, the scholarship category, and the open category. The young poet’s category is for any student in grades sixth through tenth.

The scholarship category is for any junior or senior enrolled at a Kansas high school attending SCCC in the fall. The open category is for SCCC student and faculty and community members.

“We need entries. We hardly have any from all categories so there is a good chance of winning,” Northerns said. 

Some participants from previous years recall their experience at the coffee house and saw it as a good experience.

“I absolutely recommend people to turn their poems in because it is such a different experience than a classroom setting. I received two honorary mentions and I was happy to have my poems acknowledged,” Katie Orth, former SCCC student and 2018 coffee house participant, said.

Every year the coffee house poetry contest has a different special judge that chooses the winners and this year’s judge is Rebecca Aronson. She currently has two books out, Ghost Child of the Atlanta Bloom and Creature.

She is from Albuquerque, New Mexico and co-hosts a series of words and writing called Bad Mouth and she also teaches writing. She will be the special judge for this year’s coffee house poetry contest.

Each first place winner will receive a signed copy of Aronson’s book as well as other prizes such as scholarships and gift cards will be awarded. The coffeehouse poetry contest will be held on Apr. 12.

“It doesn’t cost anything to enter, so you have nothing to lose. You can’t win if you don’t enter,” Northern’s said.

All electronic entries and any questions can be emailed to [email protected]