TRUMBULL — Young children are often naturally creative, but as they reach those turbulent teen years, that spark of imagination can fade, said Chelsie Labrecque, youth services librarian for the Trumbull library system.
“When you get older, you kind of lose your hobbies,” she said. “I think it’s important for teenagers to know that they can express themselves too.”
The need to encourage creative expression among teens is part of the reason the library holds an annual teen poetry contest, where Trumbull residents ages 13-18 can submit their own creative works. Submissions will be accepted until April 5. Submitted poems will be posted in the library and on library social media, but entrants can remain anonymous if they wish.
Poems can be submitted in person or entrants can take a photo of their poem and email it to clabrecque@trumbull-ct.gov.
The winner will be announced on April 8 and will receive a $20 gift card from Barnes & Noble, as well as a copy of Jason Reynolds’ verse book (graphic novel adaptation) “Long Way Down.”
April is National Poetry Month, and Labrecque said the event is a good opportunity to encourage local teens to embrace their inner poets.
“Poetry Month is a framework to be able to say, ‘Here’s an opportunity and here’s a reason we can justify doing this too,'” she said.
The competition has stagnated a bit in recent years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Labrecque said that didn’t happen two years ago. She tried to restart it last year, but only received a few submissions.
She hopes there will be more enthusiasm this year.
Each year, the poetry contest has a theme. This year, all poems submitted must be “collage poems” made up of words cut from magazines or newspapers. Labrecque said teenagers are welcome to create their creations at home, but the library will also have a basket of cut-out words available for poets who don’t have enough periodicals at home.
“We want to make sure everyone can participate,” Labrecque said.
