Press Release, Center for Creative Solutions, Inc.:
April was made for northwest Indiana poets. Nearly 500 of them, mostly students, submitted their work in this year’s Eighth Annual “Juried Showcase of Poetry.” The Showcase is sponsored every year by the Center for Creative Solutions during World Creativity & Innovation Week and National Poetry Month.
The winners read their work to family, friends and community members at the La Porte County Visitors & Convention Center on (Sunday) April 28. The event followed a women’s poetry reading earlier in April. That program, funded by the Sinai Temple, featured poets, Carnessa Carnes, Carmen Navarro, Kayla Vasilko, Jamie Wendt, and Valerie Wallace, before a standing-room-only audience at the Michigan City Public Library.
Introducing the program, Bill Halliar of the Center noted that the Showcase started eight years ago with three student poets from La Porte County. Since then, poets from Porter and Lake Counties have joined the competition, he said.
Afterward, community leader, Judy Jacobi, reflected on the societal value of poetry. “Weaving poetry into our lives is a gift that everyone can give and receive,” she said. “To recognize our individual creative force, we must be proactive, collaborative, and view poetry as a force for community connection to be enjoyed in search for new meaning.”
Once again, Dr. William Allegrezza of Indiana University Northwest judged the entries. He teaches creative writing, professional writing, composition, and literature classes. His primary interest is in contemporary poetry in the Americas. Dr. Allegrezza has published 14 books in many countries. His work has been translated into Italian, Spanish, Dutch, and Portuguese.
Co-sponsors for World Creativity & Innovation Week were the Bethany Church Foundation of La Porte, WIMS Radio, Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest, and Art on the Air broadcasted on Lakeshore Public Radio. For the first time, every library in La Porte County signed on as a Co-sponsor of the Showcase.
For more information, contact Cynthia Hedge at the CenterforCreativeSolutions.com, send an email to creativity52@comcast.net or telephone 219-326-7259. The Center is a non-profit organization which builds community through creativity events and workshops.
The winners were:
Student Winners
Lainey Bell
1st Place
1st Grade, Wadsworth Elementary, Griffith

Lucy Connors
2nd Place
1st Grade
Wadsworth Elementary, Griffith

Jaylani Strainge
3rd Place
1st Grade
Wadsworth Elementary, Griffith
Myles Yuknis
1st Place
2nd Grade
Queen of All Saints, Michigan City
Ellianah Nabatanzi
2nd Place
2nd Grade
Queen of All Saints, Michigan City
Christian Arnold
3rd Place
2nd Grade
Queen of All Saints, Michigan City
Elise Kliza
1st Place
3rd Grade
Beiriger Elementary, Griffith
Emma Katich
2nd Place
3rd Grade
Beiriger Elementary, Griffith
Milo Zibutis
3rd Place
3rd Grade
Queen of All Saints, Michigan City
Violet Loyd
Honorable Mention
3rd Grade
Queen of All Saints, Michigan City
Robin Cole
1st Place
4th Grade
Beiriger Elementary, Griffith
Raegan Donley
2nd Place
4th Grade
Beiriger Elementary, Griffith
Holden O’Brien
3rd Place
4th Grade
Beiriger Elementary, Griffith
Alissa Smith
Honorable Mention
4th Grade
Queen of All Saints, Michigan City
Anna Nelson
1st/3rd Places
5th Grade
Queen of All Saints, Michigan City
Logan Jacques
2nd Place
5th Grade
Beiriger Elementary, Griffith
Imani Moore
Honorable Mention
5th Grade
Queen of All Saints, Michigan City
Kennedy Davis
1st Place
6th/7th Grades
Barker Middle School, Michigan City
Kyleigh Russell
2nd Place
6th/7th Grades
Queen of All Saints, Michigan City
Amelia Arnold
3rd Place
6th/7th Grades
Queen of All Saints, Michigan City
Peyton West
Honorable Mention
6th/7th Grades
Our Lady of Grace School, Highland
Yareli Villalobos
1st Place
8th Grade
Queen of All Saints, Michigan City
Kayla Campbell
2nd Place
8th Grade
Queen of All Saints, Michigan City
Lauren Furore
3rd Place
8th Grade
Queen of All Saints, Michigan City
Shokria Khairy
1st Place
9th Grade
La Lumiere School, La Porte
Helena Acosta
2nd Place
9th Grade
La Lumiere School, La Porte
Zoe Zeilbeck
3rd Place
9th Grade
La Lumiere School, La Porte
Carmen Navarro
1st Place
10th Grade
La Lumiere School, La Porte
Alexis Rodriquez
2nd Place
12th Grade
Portage High School, Portage
Leanna Monteiro
3rd Place
12th Grade
Portage High School, Portage
Adult Winners
Sandra Young, La Porte, 1st Place
Valerie Wallace, Michigan City, 2nd Place
Juliana Michelbrink, Westville, 3rd Place