Melville, NY – Fifteen poets from local high schools were recognized yesterday as winners of the Town's 2010 Poetry for the HART competition, earning them certificates from members of the Town board and the display of their works on buses in the Town's HART system.

The 15, as well as eight receiving Honorable Mentions, were selected from among 211 poems submitted, the highest since the program, part of the Town's Public Art Initiative, began in 2003.

"It is particularly fitting that the Town's Public Art Initiative recognizes the creative achievements of teens in our community in addition to the work of professional artists," Supervisor Frank P. Petrone said.

Noting the large number of entries, Councilman Mark Cuthbertson said,  "We appreciate everyone who shared with us their creative efforts; to us they are all winners."  Councilwoman Susan Berland agreed, remarking, "It is wonderful to see so many of our teens express themselves creatively; poetry, and the arts in general, can help teens to discover themselves and their own unique voice."

The winners received their certificates at a ceremony the Walt Whitman Birthplace. They also participated in a poetry reading with adult poet mentor Michael Cirelli. 

"The participation of poet Michael Cirelli – supported by Teenspeak, the program's Co-Lead Agency – adds an additional note of distinction to the evening's festivities in honor of the accomplishments of our teens," Councilwoman Glenda Jackson said. 

Cirelli is the author of Vacations on the Black Star Line (Hanging Loose, 2010) and Lobster with Ol' Dirty Bastard (Hanging Loose, 2008), which was a NY Times poetry bestseller from an independent press and featured in the "debut poets" issue of Poets & Writers Magazine.  He is the Executive Director of one of the nation's largest youth literary arts organizations, Urban Word NYC, and has also authored two award-winning curricula, Poetry Jam (Recorded Books, 2010) and Hip-Hop Poetry & the Classics (Milk Mug, 2004).  As a performer, he has been a National Poetry Slam finalist and was featured on the HBO series Def Poetry Jam and Brave New Voices.  He lives in Brooklyn.

Poetry for the HART is a Huntington Public Art Initiative developed by the Town's Public Art Advisory Committee in conjunction with Teenspeak, Co-Lead Agency, who suggested the project to the Town.  Teens in the community from ages 14-18 were invited last fall to submit poems for consideration in the program.  This spring a selection panel comprised of Nassau County Poet Laureate Gayl Teller (Plainview), poet Anna DiBella (Huntington), and Huntingon Public Art Advisory Committee members James Metcalfe (Huntington Station) & Claudia Gomez (Deer Park) reviewed the 211 different submissions. Additional partners in this project included Heckscher Museum of Art; Huntington Arts Council; The Long Islander, which has pledged to publish the winning poems; REACH CYA; Town of Huntington Youth Bureau; Tri-Community Youth Agency; the award reception host – Walt Whitman Birthplace Association; and Youth Directions & Alternatives CYA, as well as numerous area teachers who actively encouraged their students' participation.  Subsequent to the ceremonies, colorful placards, each bearing one of the winning youth poems, will be placed in the interior advertising spaces on buses throughout the HART system. 

Councilman Mark Mayoka commented, "The fact that this teen poetry will enrich the lives of all our HART bus riders, including the many senior citizens and people with disabilities who depend upon these transportation services, is emblematic of the universal impact that public art can have on a community." 

The teen poets and the works selected for display are:

·        Holly Blakely, "Different, Broken, Beautiful, Better" (Huntington High School)

·        Alec Buchholtz, "Hungry Is Thy Beast" (Harborfields High School)

·        Andrew D'Anneo, "The Procrasti-Nation" (Harborfields High School)

·        Chris Gabriel, "The Crack of the Bat" (Harborfields High School)

·        Danielle Giangrasso, "Beauty Does" (Huntington Youth Bureau, Project Excel)

·        Sara Ging, "A Demimonde's Dilemma" (Walt Whitman High School)

·        Bridget Greene, "Summer Lacrosse" (Harborfields High School)

·        Sarah Han, "An Old Snapshot" (Half Hollow Hills High School West)

·        David Hendler, "Toothpick:  The Forgotten Hero" (Harborfields High School)

·        Chantal Lee, "Transportational Destructions" (Half Hollow Hills High School West)

·        Keith May, "Thinking" (Walt Whitman High School)

·        Jeena Moss, "Readers" (Harborfields High School)

·        Maya Perry, "Bittersweet Big Sister" (Harborfields High School)

·        Shanika Powell, "Autumn" (Walt Whitman High School)

·        Jonathan Wertheim, "Pariah" (Harborfields High School)

In addition, the following poets were selected for Honorable Mention:

·        Emily Brandsdorfer (Half Hollow Hills High School West)

·        Anna Grammersturf (Harborfields High School)

·        William Johnson (Walt Whitman High School)

·        Ryan Logrieco (Harborfields High School)

·        Najeeana Mirabeau Smith (Upper Room Christian School)

·        Sarah Reichert (Harborfields High School)

·        Rebecca Silverman (Huntington High School)

·        Casey Singer (Huntington High School)

The text of the winning poems is available upon request.  For further information on Poetry for the HART or other Town of Huntington Public Art Initiative projects, contact John Coraor, Director of Cultural Affairs, at 631-351-3099 or via e-mail:  jcoraor@town.huntington.ny.us.