High School Students Recognized in UB Poetry Contest

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Weihui Lu of Flushing, a student at Hunter College High School in New York City, has been awarded first place in the annual poetry contest for high school students sponsored by the Humanities Institute in the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system that is its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.

The poetry contest enables students to learn about the resources in the UB Department of English and underscores the university's well-known commitment to poetics by encouraging young poets.

Contest entries were judged by Michael Basinski, curator of the UB Poetry Collection.

Participation in the contest continues to be high. This year, entries were submitted by approximately 560 students in the United States, Canada and overseas. Each student was limited to one entry of an original poem in English of 25 or fewer lines.

Cash prizes of $200, $100 and $50 were awarded to first-, second- and third-place winners, respectively. Four fourth-place winners received $25 gift certificates to Barnes and Noble. Fourteen honorable mentions also were awarded. All winners received a copy of a compact disc recording of "funginii," a compilation of choral sound poetry by Basinski.

Local winners will read their work at a poetry program and workshop that will take place at 1 p.m. March 29 in the Center for the Arts, North Campus. Basinski will lead the workshop.

In addition to Lu, other winners in the poetry contest are:

Second place: Julie Byrne of East Aurora, East Aurora High School, East Aurora.

Third place: Colin Knoer of Williamsville, Williamsville North High School, Williamsville.

Fourth place: Michele Corriston of Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J., Northern Highlands Regional High School, Allendale, N.J.; Cassandra Jones of St. Catharines, Ontario, St. Francis Catholic Secondary School, St.

Catharines; Danika Owsley of Birmingham, Ala., Alabama School of Fine Arts, Birmingham; and Mine Serizawa of Fuchu-shi, Tokyo, Japan, the American School in Japan, Tokyo.

Honorable Mention:

• Andrea Barajas of Cheektowaga, Cheektowaga Central High School, Cheektowaga.

• Fawn Gordon of Ravenna, Ohio, Maplewood Career Center, Ravenna.

• Deborah Gravina of Allendale, N.J., Northern Highlands Regional High School, Allendale.

• Olivia Hesslein of West Hartford, Conn., Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, Hartford.

• Ashley M. Jones of Birmingham, Ala., Alabama School of Fine Arts, Birmingham.

• Kimberly Miller of West Hartford, Conn., Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, Hartford.

• Mia Osborne of Steele, Ala., Alabama School of Fine Arts, Birmingham.

• Cristina Perruccio of Paris, France, American School of Paris, St. Cloud, France.

• Alyse Quiat of Allendale, N.J., Northern Highlands Regional High School, Allendale.

• Kate Scarbrough of Talbidega, Ala., Alabama School of Fine Arts, Birmingham.

• Allison Shaber of Tenafly, N.J., Tenafly High School, Tenafly.

• Susie Svendsgaard of Pleasantville, N.Y., Pleasantville High School, Pleasantville.

• Francesco Tisch of Brooklyn, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, New York City.

• Jane Youngberg of New Haven, Conn., Educational Center for the Arts, New Haven.