REGION — The Annual Literacy Volunteers Poetry Contest is free for all-ages and open from February 14 to March 31 to all residents of Franklin and Somerset Counties and the towns of Livermore, and Livermore Falls.

First, second, and third place winners will be selected in each of 5 categories: Ages, 8-12, 13-17, 18-25, 26 and older, and students of Literacy Volunteers.

Winners will receive gift certificates: First place, $25 value at Devaney Doak & Garrett Booksellers, Second place, $15 value at Twice Sold Tales bookstore, and Third place, $10 value at Java Joe’s. All winners will be announced on April 11. All winning poems will be published.

To enter, submit one poem by midnight on March 31 (only one entry per person will be accepted). All poems must be original and previously unpublished. The poem must be typed on a page with no identifying information. All entries must include a title page; separate from the poem.

The title page must list the poet’s name, category entered, phone number and address, and the title of the poem. Please submit entries in PDF format attached to email to literacyvolunteersfs@gmail.com (subject line: Poetry). The title page may be typed into the body of the email, separate from the poem. Entries may also be sent by mail to Literacy Volunteers at 129 Seamon Rd., Farmington, 04938.

Poems will not be returned. Only submissions which follow the criteria and are submitted by March 31 will be considered. Simultaneous submissions are accepted; please note on the title page and notify Literacy Volunteers immediately of acceptance elsewhere. Finalists will be notified by April 11. Other confirmation of receipt should not be expected.

Literacy Volunteers of Franklin and Somerset Counties will catalog all poems and send them, with any identifying information removed, to an out-of-county judge, Laine Kuehn, of Belfast, Maine, who will select the winners in each category.

Laine graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington in 2014, where they majored in Creative Writing and served as intern at the Beloit Poetry Journal; since then, Laine coordinated programs with the Maine Humanities Council, volunteered for five years on the steering committee of the Belfast Poetry Festival, co-edited and produced several issues of a literary magazine.

Laine remains deeply committed to the work of writing, workshopping, reading, and celebrating poetry in all its forms throughout Maine and beyond.

Literacy Volunteers of Franklin and Somerset Counties is a 501(3C) public nonprofit with a mission to promote literacy in our communities and empower adults through tutoring.

For more information about the contest guidelines, visit westernmaineliteracy.org or call 207-500-3131.