River of Words® (ROW) conducts an environmental poetry and art contest for youth aged 5 to 19 in grades K-12 every year. ROW is affiliated with The Library of Congress Center for the Book and St. Mary's College of California. The contest is designed to help youth explore the natural and cultural history of their own watershed, and to express what they discover through poetry and art. Winners of the international contest will be announced in April of each year, and are honored in a mid-April ceremony at Saint Mary's College in Moraga, California. Eight grand prize winners from the US and a "Teach of the Year" will win round-trip transportation from the winner’s nearest major airport to Washington, D.C. from ROW International.

Entries not chosen as finalists or grand prize winners in the international contest are returned to Iowa, where they are judged in an Iowa statewide River of Words contest.

For specific information (artwork and poetry requirements, due dates, contact information, etc.) visit the ROW website.

2013 Iowa River of Words®
Environmental Poetry & Art Contest Results
Thirty-three Iowa students have been announced as the winners, runner-ups or honorable mentions in the 2013 River of Words® (ROW) Environmental Poetry and Art Contest.  The students’ poems and art were selected from hundreds of entries submitted to the contest. The results are as follows:

POETRY

Kindergarten to 3rd Grade

WINNER: “The Beach” by Olivia Spracklin of West Des Moines

RUNNER-UP: “Fish” by Bella Hager of West Des Moines

HONORABLE MENTION: “Beach” by Louie Hartkop of Clive

4^th to 6^th Grade

WINNER: “King of the Pond” by Max Wilson of West Des Moines

RUNNER-UP: “Seaweed” by Bevan Fogdall of West Des Moines

RUNNER-UP: “The Symphony of Nature” by Ava Dietrich of Grinnell

7^th to 9^th Grade

WINNER: “Unforgiving Stream” by Shivani Kumaresan of Urbandale

RUNNER-UP: “Finding Place” by Kjistine Peterson of Ankeny

RUNNER-UP: “The World Against Me” by Kjistine Peterson of Ankeny

HONORABLE MENTION: “Storm” by Madison Shilling of Knoxville

10^th to 12^th Grade

WINNER: “The Whisper of the Sky” by Xena Fitzgerald of Mount Vernon

RUNNER-UP: “Nature Shakes and Shivers” by Justeen Schoner of Des Moines

HONORABLE MENTION: “Plick-Plock” by Catalina Cucu of Keota

HONORABLE MENTION: “The Forms it Takes” by Myle Duong of Davenport

National Poetry Finalists

“A Leaf” by Cori Dahlby-Albright of Grinnell

"Spring Thunderstorm" by Tessa Mayer of Cambridge

ART

Kindergarten to 3rd Grade

WINNER: “Water Lilies” by Emma Chambers of Dubuque

RUNNER-UP: “Colorful Fall” by Emma Chambers of Dubuque

4^th to 6^th Grade

WINNER: “Blank Park Zoo” by Kayla Moats of Knoxville

RUNNER-UP: “Farmland Sunset” by Kennedy Boyd of Waukee

HONORABLE MENTON: “Mountain Creek” by Adam McFee of Grinnell

HONORABLE MENTON: “The Tiger” by Danielle Oberfoell of West Des Moines

7^th to 9^th Grade

WINNER: “The Shallows” by Suzanna Host of Polk City

RUNNER-UP: “Swimming” by Amanda Schuler of State Center

HONORABLE MENTION: “Bobwhite Quails” by Kaitlyn Hood of Ankeny

HONORABLE MENTION: “Breezy Meadow” by Ashli Van Deest of Grundy Center

HONORABLE MENTION: “Mill on Oak Hill” by Julia Eastin of Ankney

10^th to 12^th Grade

WINNER: “Sea Turtle” by Karen Selof” of Polk City

RUNNER-UP: “Seashells in the River of Lace” by Justeen Schoner of Des Moines

RUNNER-UP: “Koi River” by Angel McLaughlin of Mason City

HONORABLE MENTION: “The beauty of Water” Adam Hendersott of Davenport

HONORABLE MENTION: “Water The Key to Life” by Tillie Sitz of Davenport

HONORABLE MENTION: “What’s really in our water?” by Collin Garrett of Davenport

HONORABLE MENTION: “Feather Fun” by Justeen Schoner of Des Moines

2013 Iowa River of Words®
Exhibit Schedule - To Be Announced