Veterans for Peace Gainesville Chapter honors students at poetry reading and reception

The Veterans for Peace (VFP) Gainesville Chapter honored Alachua County students at the 12th annual Alachua County K-12 Peace Poetry Reading and Reception held May 21. Twenty- six poems were selected by community judges out of 200 poems submitted to be included in the 2022 Peace Poetry book. The winning poets read their poems at the Peace Poetry Reading and Reception and received a local bookstore gift card, a certificate of achievement and copies of the bound 2022 Peace Poetry book.

Four students were awarded $1500 Peace Scholarships. The VFP Scholarship is a separate college scholarship program for Alachua County high school, college or vocational students who apply and demonstrate commitment and leadership activities involving peace and social justice. VFP created these scholarships to give financial support to students who are planning careers in pursuit of a more equitable, peaceful and just world.

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The 2022 Peace Poetry Contest winners grouped by grade include:

First through fourth grades:

• Jaylah Hines, 1st grade, Caring and Sharing Learning School

• AuNiyah Singleton, 1st grade, Caring and Sharing

• Alyssa Robinson, 2nd grade, P.K. Yonge

Fifth and sixth grades:

• Cole Carpenter, 5th grade, Kimball Wiles Elementary School.

• Landon Chase, 5th grade, Hidden Oak Elementary School

• Lily Harrell, 5th grade, Hidden Oak

• Noelle Hurley, 5th grade, Hidden Oak

• Sophia Knoerle, 5th grade, Hidden Oak

• August Zhang, 5th grade, Hidden Oak

• Miko Shitama, 5th grade, Jordan Glen School

• Avery Zappini, 6th grade, Jordan Glen School

• Lillian Tomlinson, 6th grade, Oak View Middle School

Seventh and eighth grades:

• Callum Daley, 7th grade, Jordan Glen School

• Asher Case, 7th grade, Jordan Glen School

• Noah Gorme,7th grade, Jordan Glen School

• Rekhi Kinsey, 7th grade, Howard Bishop Middle School

• Autumn Frenchman, 8th grade, Jordan Glen School

• Cyrus Fariborzian, 8th grade, Queen of Peace Catholic Academy

• Carley Loeffler, 8th grade, Queen of Peace

• Quan Tran, 8th grade, Queen of Peace

• Nolan Van Riper, 8th grade, Queen of Peace

Ninth through 12th grades:

• Maya Rose Chacko Allen, 9th grade, Gainesville High School

• DeShawn Davis, 10th grade, Newberry High School

• Isabel Padron, 11th grade, St. Francis Catholic Academy

• Aedan Schneck, 11th grade, St. Francis Catholic Academy

• Jaxson Christie, 12th grade, P.K. Yonge

Veterans for Peace 2022 Scholarship Winners:

• Miryam Elshaer holds a double major in political science and women’s studies at the University of Florida. Her goal is to become a social movement lawyer.

• Isabella Macias is a first-generation college student. She is a second-year astrophysics major at the University of Florida.

• Bryanna Michell is a graduate of Eastside High School in Gainesville. She is a graduate of the Dual Enrollment Program at Santa Fe College.

• Maria Monsserat de la Cruz Mora is a graduate of Newberry High School and a political science major at the University of Florida.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: VFP Gainesville Chapter honors Alachua County students