Civil War poetry contest winners

Alex Rujawitz, Audrey Lyle and Rachael Kaiser were the winners of this year's Civil War Poetry Contest.

Lee Burneson Middle School eighth-graders Alex Rujawitz, Audrey Lyle and Rachael Kaiser are the 2014 winners of the Jon Thompson Civil War Poetry Contest sponsored by the Cleveland Civil War Roundtable.

The three were honored at a dinner on May 14 at Cleveland’s Judson Manor, where they read their winning entries – poetic interpretations of “The Widow,” a painting showing a Confederate widow being comforted by the ghost of her husband as she grieves at his tombstone.

The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable sponsors the poetry contest annually at LBMS as part of the school’s annual Civil War Days events, which includes a Civil War encampment and a Civil War ball. The three winners were chosen from 300 entries this year after LBMS teachers whittled the pool down to 30 finalists. They each received a $50 prize and will recite their poems at the 24th LBMS Civil War Ball on May 30.

The contest is named in honor of retired LBMS language arts teacher – and current Civil War Roundtable president – Jon Thompson, who picks the top winners. Thompson taught for 35 years in the district before retiring in 2006.