Two Peachtree City students took first and second places in a regional poetry contest sponsored by the Atlanta Hawks.
A student from Peachtree City, Malcolm McLachlan, who attends The Campus in Peachtree City, won first place out of all 15 participants.
In second place was Morgan Ritson of McIntosh High School in Peachtree City.
These 15 students from 10 different schools in eight different counties throughout Georgia presented their poems in the final round of competition.
The theme for this year’s Poetry Slam was “I Was Born This Way” and finalists were judged on connection to the topic, overall message and originality/creativity.
The Hawks hosted their 4th annual Poetry Slam March 22 at Atlanta’s Hard Rock Cafe. Nominations for the Atlanta Hawks Poetry Slam were accepted through Feb. 24, 2012 and open to high school students in grades 9-12 who attend school within 75 miles of Philips Arena.
“These high school kids were so very impressive with what they spoke about,” said Alison Sawyer, director of corporate communications for the Atlanta Hawks and Philips Arena.
Judges were Willie Green, Atlanta Hawks guard; Judy Serritella, coordinator of Library Media Services, Fine Arts, and Literacy Support for the Georgia Department of Education; Devika Rao, Atlanta-based writer with a weekly column, Doing Good, in the AJC; Trent North, principal of Carrollton Middle School North.
Winners:
1st – Malcolm McLachlan, The Campus in Peachtree City
2nd — Morgan Ritson, McIntosh High School
3rd — Cinnamon Williams – Temple High School
