Aubrey Winiarski, 14, earned second place in the Southwick Public Library’s poetry contest. (Photo courtesy the Winarski family)
SOUTHWICK – A poetry contest for teens sponsored by the Southwick Public Library recently rewarded the works of Jordan Reed and Aubrey Winiarski with first and second place honors, respectively.
Reed’s poem, “Soft fur like a pillow,” explores the reasons why no one should hurt an animal, and Winiarski’s “Waves” is about the uniqueness of waves.
Winiarski, who aspires to become a marine biologist, wrote the poem for a class assignment last spring. The now freshman at Southwick Tolland Granville Regional High School said the assignment was to write a poem in a shape.
“I had to come up with a poem that looked like something. I thought about waves and what they can do and how they sound against a dock and it just came to me,” Winiarski said about her inspiration.
Generally a poet by assignment only, Winiarski said she has developed a love of poetry and is excited to take a creative writing course at school in her junior year.
“My feelings really come out when I write poems,” she said.
Her desire to become a marine biologist grew from a family trip to Hawaii last year when she got up close and personal with sea life.
“We had the opportunity to snorkel and I loved the coral reefs and looking at the different fish and I wanted to know more about them,” Winiarski said. “And I learned to surf and there was a seal on shore and I kept looking at it, wanting to know more about it.”
To keep her more creative side happy, Winiarski plans to join the stage crew at school to work on set, as well as a graphic arts club.
Winiarski is the daughter of Samantha and Michael Winiarski of Southwick and the older sister of Cecilia Winiarski. In her free time, she enjoys playing acoustic guitar and participating in Girl Scouts. However, reading is her favorite activity. Winiarski also works at Blossoming Acres farm and bakery.
