West Woods Elementary Student Nominated as
Finalist in International Poetry Contest

Erin Kopal, 5th-grade student at West Woods Elementary, sprinkles her writing with similes and metaphors. A formal letter arrived on March 26 stating, "Out of tens of thousands of entries from around the world, we chose about one hundred finalists, and your fine work was included." River of Words had selected her poem as a finalist in their international environmental poetry and art contest.

"No way!" exclaimed Erin as the letter was placed in her hands. Kopal believes poetry can be used to evoke feelings of delight, comfort, and encouragement. She has explored writing poetry about a variety of topics; including, nature, trees, water, wind, friendship, secrets, love, and questions about the world. Erin has faith that doing your personal best can help you make your dreams come true. Erin's writing was inspired by the wonders of nature. She hopes her work will help others to preserve the beauty of our planet. River of Words is a non-profit organization that supports literacy, the arts, and environmental awareness.

Erin Kopal, age 11, and her teacher, Jennifer Arzberger, celebrated this accomplishment by writing this article together.

Talking Trees*Finalist in the River of Words Poetry Contest
Trees talk
All the time,
They yell,
They whisper,
They even rhyme.
When they're angry
They blow their leaves
Sometimes they let out
A deep s-i-g-h.
They tell the truth
They even lie.
~Erin Kopal~