Literacy Volunteers of Franklin and Somerset counties has announced the winners of its 12th annual poetry contest.

Laine Kuehn was the judge, according to a news release from the volunteer organization.

Contest Categories:

Age 8-12

First Place: Mackenzie Smith of Strong, “Beauty To Ash”

Second Place: Skylar A. Thurlow of Strong, “Reflection”

Third Place: Gabriella Louise Doyon of Strong, “Pine Silence”

Age 13-17

First Place: Ilmani Chilcote-Joof of Strong, “Found”

Second Place: Elizabeth Schiche of Strong, “Ode To Spring”

Third Place: Blaine Stuart of Strong, “The Changes of Life, A Sonnet”

Age 18-plus

First Place: Heather A. Brown of Farmington, “Friday, January 20, 2017, 11:41 a.m.”

Second Place: Lydia Fernandez of Farmington, “Genesis”

Third Place: Leia Antoinette Pasquarelli of Farmington, “The Walk”

Students of Literacy Volunteers

First Place: Elizabeth Beaudette of Jay, “Pregnancy After Loss isn’t Easy”

Second Place: Dorothy Richard of Wilton, “Who I Share Things With”

Third Place: Eleanor Hodgkin of Jay, “The Gift”

The collection of winning poems are published online at westernmaineliteracy.org and in a poetry chapbook. Contest prizes are gift certificates at area bookstores:$20 at Devaney Doak & Garrett Booksellers for first place, $15 at Twice Sold Tales bookstore for second place, and $10 at the Phillips Library Store for third place.

A reading of the winning poetry is planned for 4 to 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 29, and will be available to the public via Zoom.

The contest was funded in part by Western Mountain Financial Services and the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation

For more information, visit westernmaineliteracy.org or call 207-500-3131.