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On April 17, the Rusk County Poetry Society welcomed an audience of 250 students, teachers and parents to celebrate National Poetry Month at its annual Poetry in Schools awards ceremony.

The event was the culmination of the group's annual Poetry in Schools program, which has been a tradition in Henderson for more than 30 years. With its more recent expansion to include surrounding counties, the RCPS Poetry in Schools program is now one of the largest student poetry competitions in the state.

At the awards ceremony, held in the auditorium of the South Main Church of Christ in Henderson, 73 first-, second- and third-place winning poems were read by their student authors.

The highlight of the Awards Ceremony was the announcement of the Mary Craig Memorial Scholarship, given each year to the 12th grade, first-place winner. This year's winner was Owen Herterich from Hallsville High School. The $400 college scholarship honors Rusk County Poetry Society charter member and longtime Henderson poet, community leader and educator, Mary Craig.

Contest results:

Poems Entered in 12 Grade Levels: 509

Teachers Submitting Poetry: 55

School Districts Participating: 22; All Saints Episcopal School; Carthage ISD; Cayuga ISD; Cushing ISD; Grace Christian School; Full Armor Christian Academy (Henderson); Hallsville ISD; Henderson ISD; Huntington; Marshall ISD; Mt. Enterprise ISD; Neches ISD; Overton ISD; Sabine ISD; St. Gregory's Catholic School; St. Mary's Catholic School (Longview); Tatum ISD; Tyler ISD; Wells ISD; West Rusk ISD; Whitehouse ISD; and homeschool stu-dents.

Total Number of Student Award Winners: 74

Scholarship Winner: Owen Herterich, Hallsville High School, 12th Grade, Poem - "Up-heaval."