Kernersville Middle School Student Savannah Smith has been awarded the Scholastic Golden Key Award for her original poem, A Piece of Home, showcasing her remarkable talent for imagery and storytelling.
Smith’s award-winning poem was inspired by the unit "Places We Call Home", taught by her English teacher, Jeffrey Shu. Students were challenged to craft a poem in the style of George Lyon’s Where I’m From, creating an image collage that reflects personal identity and experience. Shu says Smith’s poem already had a strong structure when she decided to submit it to the contest, with only minor revisions before finalizing her entry.
The idea to enter the Scholastic contest stemmed from Kristian Snyder, Kernersville Middle’s art teacher, who introduced Smith to the opportunity. While initially drawn to the contest for its art component, Smith discovered a poetry option in addition and knew she wanted to participate.
In her poem, A Piece of Home, she describes herself as a “mosaic,” by piecing together traits borrowed from those she cares about – her mother’s optimism, her grandmother’s spirit of teaching, and the humor of a close friend.
Here is Smith’s award-winning poem:
A Piece of Home
I am a mosaic
breaking parts in a whole,
nothing is truly mine, it’s all stolen
for I am a thief.
I take the humor, the action,
the breath in words
and they become mine.
I steal from the girl with unmatchable empathy;
integrity that’s purely dependable
and spontaneity that comes second to none.
I steal from my mother who is eternally optimistic.
I steal from my grandmother,
I keep her spirit of teaching
and I steal from the boy,
finding a way to make everyone laugh,
learning how to bring comfort.
I am a mosaic
made up of everyone.
Smith’s recognition in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards shows her skill, creativity, and dedication to writing. Her ability to blend emotion and imagery in her writing sets apart as a promising young poet with a bright future.
Congratulations, Savannah, we can't wait to see where your talent takes you next!
Here is the "What's Right With Our Schools" segment with Savannah and Cindy Farmer from Fox 8 News.
Written by Evan Herreid, WS/FCS Digital Media Manager