Nathan B. & Deka D. with UW Poetry Contest awards
Photo courtesy: Phoenix Rising School

– From Rainier’s Phoenix Rising School (PRS), voted 2015’s Best School of Nisqually:
“Congratulations to Nathan and Deka for being among the winners of the University of Washington’s 2016 Neuroscience for Kids Poetry Contest.”

“Every year UW’s Neuroscience Department holds a writing or drawing contest for children. This year they were calling all poets in grades Kindergarten through 12. Each age group had developmentally appropriate contest rules. For example, Kindergartners did not have to rhyme while sixth graders were asked to submit a Haiku. Many of our students participated and everyone’s work was beautiful. Deka [Grade 3 to Grade 5 category] and Nathan [Grade 6 to Grade 8] were among the winners from a total of 478 entries.”

“‘How often do you see a child write poetry about the wonderful world of the brain and mind?!!’ says Miss Sonya, C.R.E.A.T.E. Education Specialist. ‘Here at Phoenix Rising, our students have learned so much about neuroscience, I thought it would be great for them to participate in this contest. It is so exciting that two of our students won! In my mind, they all did,” quoting Phoenix Rising School.
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Click here to hear the winners recite their poems.


– PRS’s predecessor the Children’s School of Excellence (CSE) had 2 UW contest winners in 2007!
Airies Hygaard and Evan Hawkins both won in the K-2 grade category, as reported here in February 2007.
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