Whats in my closet

The most random hats that I never wear
The laundry basket that’s overflowing with my clothes.
The big pile of clothes that are next to the laundry basket because they wont fit in the laundry basket.
The clothes that are too small for me and could probably fit an American girl doll.
The scary halloween costumes that make me jump a little
The shoe boxes, not because I’m too lazy to throw them away, but because I want to save them for absolutely no reason.

I Am From

I am from the worn out old couch in the middle of an empty room.
From nearly expired Cheezits and freshly picked avocados.
I am from a full and chaotic household,
And the loud and destructive noises.
I am from the tall oak tree in the back whose branches sway in the wind on an autumn day.
I am from a worn out old bear and the dust covered books,
From a Burbes and a Cantu.
I am from stubbornness and smarts,
And from strong and independent females.
I am from the holy Tritany.
I am from Craig Burbes and Marili Cantu.
From tamales and tortillas.
From the founding of a new world,
And from the gentle plush of old quilts.
I am from those moments of peace and chaos.

Where I’m from

I am from the rain that washed away my fears.
From a minny mouse dress to shorts and a T-shirt.
I am from a clean modern home that’s only black and white.
I am from a laundry room with thousands of unclean clothes.
I am from a garden with white and red flowers that dance with the wind.
I went from playing house all day to doing role-playing games with my best friends.
From mom to best friend. From boring dad to making me laugh all day.
I am from a non denomination church with no war and sadness where we love every soul.
I am from the shopkins that filled my playroom with imagination.
I am from hot summers with no wind in sight.
I am from a place of happiness dancing my heart out.
I am from a place where I am allowed to rest.
I know where I am from.

Where I’m From

I’m from the white couch in the family room that always has feathers poking out
From my dirty pink teddy bear and crown from a Renaissance fair
I am from the big faded red brick house
And a garage full of piles of junk
I am from the two tall, grand, and old oak trees sitting in the front yard
Whose branches are stretched out wide not caring what they hit
I am from the pictures of family members that I don’t even know and the golden A above my bed
I am from a loving family and Alison and Eric
And from the parents who always make life more
And from the fun we had on all the vacations and trips, we took almost daily
I am from the church that has a friendly commute and the donuts they gave out
I am from my Papa whom I was named after
From the burger and taco nights, we have
From the old house in a neighborhood of trees
And from the pink curtains in the room, I stay in with the flamingos on the shelves
I am from a great experience I will never forget.

2023 Vision+Voice Literary Festival

This will be a huge event to celebrate all the K-12 poets who participated in Vision+Voice. This year for the first time, we are combining the K-12 event with the other literary competitions that ACC runs. The festival will include food & refreshments, literary goodies, music, open mic, spoken word and several writers and educators from our community.

Friday, April 28
5:30-8pm
6101 Highland Campus Drive

5:30-7pm: food & refreshments, music, open mic, spoken word and several writers and educators from our community

7-8pm: formal award presentation

Please invite your friends, family, teachers, principals. Everyone is welcome to the party. We can’t wait to see you!

Here’s a short video on how to get from the parking garage to the Vision+Voice event space at ACC Highland.

And the Winners Are…

The judges have made their final decisions and we are thrilled to announce the winners in the 2023 Vision+Voice Poetry Contest.

As you you read these winning poems you will see that there is a lot of variety – some are funny, some are sad, some are mysterious, and some are beautifully simple. All of these poems succeed in presenting a vision or a feeling of the poet’s world in their own special way.

The poems are judged based on these 6 criteria:
Theme – Does the poem give readers a specific idea or perspective on a subject?
Originality – Does the poem offer a new or different way of thinking or feeling about that idea?
Language – Are the words precise and does their arrangement create a unified impression?
Imagery – Does the poem use figurative language (simile, metaphor) to create a vivid description and appeal to readers’ senses and imagination?
Impact – Does the poem evoke an emotional response from readers?
Technical Details – Are spelling and usage appropriate to the poem’s subject?

Judging poetry isn’t easy, and our judges take this task very seriously. There were hundreds of wonderful poems to choose from, and we are confident that these poems are a great representation of the best entries in this year’s contest.

Stay tuned for more information about the 2023 Vision+Voice Literary Festival coming up on April 28 – we’re planning a huge celebration for all the winners, and we hope you will join us!

THE 2023 VISION+VOICE WINNERS ARE:

1st Grade
I BIT MY BED by Lyric B. / Maplewood Elementary School

Fried Chicken by James B. / Homeschool

2nd Grade
Happy Days by Luna Y. / Boone Elementary School

Having Fun by Luna Y. / Boone Elementary School

3rd Grade
Thanksgiving by Everly L. / Boone Elementary School

Bubblelian by Sparrow D. / Boone Elementary School

4th Grade
I Am From These Moments by Owen M. / Brentwood Elementary School

Toledo Bend by Aida B. / Brentwood Elementary School

5th Grade
Anger by Brodie K. / Boone Elementary School

I Am by Mateo L. / Boone Elementary School

6th Grade
Paintings by Annika E. / Lamar Middle School

All Quiet by Days End / Katherine R. / Gorzycki Middle School

7th Grade
Gone by Delinah O. / Gorzycki Middle School

moments to memories by Aubrey L. / Gorzycki Middle School

8th Grade
Words by Alexandra S. / Murchison Middle School

Blue and Gray by Stella S. / Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders

9th Grade
My Grandfather’s Guitar by Ximena F. J. / Rouse High School

Car Crash in Cold Country by Josie B. / Liberal Arts & Science Academy

10th Grade
Sentimentos No encontrados by Jhoselin L. / Austin Achieve Public High School

The Power Of A Name by Victoria M. / Stephen F. Austin High School

11th Grade
Where I’m from by Caleb E. / Rouse High School

Chasing Birds by Ryan M. / Rouse High School

Only For a Season by Cicily H. / Stephen F. Austin High School

The Reality of Dreams by Claire D. / Stephen F. Austin High School

12th Grade
Ode to Dishes by Wallis B. / Stephen F. Austin High School

Dear Mother by Lani G. / Anderson High School

Congratulations to all the poets, their teachers, and their families!