The annual Poetry Coffee House will be hosted once again this year April 18 in the Humanities building by the Seward County Community College/Area Technical English department. The last day to

This year the contest will be open to college students and faculty from Seward County. In the previous years it had been limited to junior and senior students from local area high schools, since scholarships are awarded at the poetry reading.

“Students should take a chance and enter. Even if they think they won’t win there are a lot of secret poets out there,” said SCCC/ATS English instructor Janice Northerns who is co-coordinating the contest. The poetry-reading contest is split into two categories the open and scholarship.

Students and faculty are encouraged to enter in the open category. The prizes for the open category include a $25 prize for first place, $15 for second, $10 for third and honorable mention certificates. Other prizes will be included along with the cash prizes

The scholarship category is only open to high school junior and seniors. The prizes in the scholarship category are a $100 scholarship and $25 in cash for first place, $100 scholarship and $15 in cash for second and $15 in cash for third. There will also be honorable mentions in the scholarship category. Other prizes will be included along with the cash prizes

According to Northerns the number of entries submitted will determine how many people will receive honorable mentions and be allowed to read during the Poetry Coffee House. An outside will be judging the contest and the winners will be selected to read their poems.

There are general rules and guidelines to submitting a poem are as follows:

• The open category is open to anyone ages 14 or older living in Seward County or a bordering county. The scholarship category is open to any junior or senior currently enrolled in a public or private high school in Kansas or states that border Kansas.
• Poems must be of the author’s original work and have never before published.
• All entries must be typed or word processed on white, blank, standard paper (8 ½ x 11) no handwritten poems will be accepted.
• Poems have to be submitted with an entry form
• Poetry will be judged on originality, quality, skillful use of language and poetic devices.
• Contestants who win first, second and third place MUST attend the Poetry Coffee House and read their winning poem. Honorable mentions will be invited to attend but do not have to read their poems if they choose not to.
• Winners will be notified on or before April 15.
• Plagiarism will result in a disqualification from the contest.
• Up to three poems may be submitted be a contestant.
• Contestants should submit two copies of each poem.

For the full rules and guidelines, and an entry sheet, people can contact the Humanities department.