WPA Contest Winners (1980-1989)

These pages contain lists of all Washington Poets Association contest winners since the WPA begain running contests in 1972. We have compiled as many of the WPA contest results as we could find by reviewing archived issues of newsletters and other papers.

Thanks go out to to Karen Havnaer for her work in compiling all the contest results from the WPA archives and helping to provide biographical data, and to Michael Dylan Welch for additional writing, editing, and text preparation.

1980

William Stafford, Adult (???, Judge)

• 1st From the Dining Room, Molly See
• 2nd Biology One, Donell Hunter
• 3rd The Magnificent Reverend Chumleigh, Kaya Berleman

Homer Henderson, Senior High (???, Judge)

• 1st On Rainy Days I Am Queen, Kathy Fleming
• 2nd At Graveside with My Mother, Karen Boxberger
• 3rd American Lit. Teacher, Malcolm L. Henderson

Totem, Junior High (???, Judge)

• 1st Slipping Away, Peter West
• 2nd Such a Smart House, Michele Gunther
• 3rd Salem, 1693, Katie Kent

Haiku Awards (Patricia Loken, Frances Fagerlund, and Charlotte G. Warren, Judges)

Finalists:

• Jerald T. Ball
• Gloria Buckner
• June E. Lamson
• Bobbie Leiser
• Molly See
• Louise E. Widner

1981

William Stafford, Adult (???, Judge)

• 1st Letter to Stephen in Winter, Carolyne Wright, Seattle
• 2nd In Agamemnon's House, Robert Ward, Seattle
• 3rd Hiding from Brother, Kristine Walberg, Seattle
• 4th Chinese Mines, Sibyl James, Seattle

Homer Henderson, Senior High (???, Judge)

• 1st Siren's Aren't Found, Malcolm L. Henderson, Renton
• 2nd Without Merrill Lynch, Donn Dizzard, Seattle
• 3rd Is Where, Alice Fisher, Bainbridge Island
• 4th Thunder Storm, Suzanne Fischer

Totem, Junior High (???, Judge)

• 1st Crazy Ladies and Mad Women, Taryn Call, Gig Harbor
• 2nd Seal Island, Renee Elizabeth D'Aoust
• 3rd Asian Syllogism, Peter West, Bainbridge Island
• 4th Fall's Great Performance, Julie Webb, Centralia

1982

William Stafford, Adult (???, Judge)

• 1st Letting Go, Susan Landgraf, Renton
• 2nd Blood on Feathers, Julianne Seeman, Seattle
• 3rd Carrying the Past, Dixie L. Partridge, Richland
• 4th Where Wild Roses Grow, Gala FitzGerald, San Francisco, California

Homer Henderson, Senior High (???, Judge)

• 1st My Name Is Like a Word, Pearl Klein, Seattle
• 2nd To Be the Mountain, Cynthia King, Kirkland
• 3rd Maybe a California Pine, Sara Olason, Renton
• 4th We'll Take the Brown Spotted One with the Sock in Her Mouth, Elizabeth MacKenzie, Renton

Totem, Junior High (???, Judge)

• 1st Bent Wire Glasses, Kim Tessin, Renton
• 2nd A Modern Day Cinderella, Kari Pilgrim, Tacoma
• 3rd Wilting Perennials at the Pythian Home, Tracy Black, Renton
• 4th Stroke, Debbie McCann, Hanford

1983

William Stafford, Adult (???, Judge)

• 1st English as a Second Language, Judith Skillman, Renton
• 2nd A Black at South High, Sharon May, Seattle
• 3rd The King's Road North of Kona, Hawaii, Sibyl James, Seattle
• 4th The Children, Kathleen Wagner, Seattle

Homer Henderson, Senior High (???, Judge)

• 1st Konrad Lorenz Swam with Geese, Sara Olason, Renton
• 2nd Best Friend, Beth Blue, Gig Harbor
• 3rd Surface Tension, Marc Porlier, Sequim
• 4th After School, Kim Bassman, Spokane

Totem, Junior High (???, Judge)

• 1st Bear's Release, Shelley Reed, Port Angeles
• 2nd Dog, Jenny Schmid, Bainbridge Island
• 3rd To My Cottonwood, Jenni Drake, Renton
• 4th Sunday's Song, Kari Pilgrim, Tacoma

Traditional Verse, Adult (???, Judge)

• 1st The Knife, Michael Spence, Seattle
• 2nd Inner Cycles, Robert Ward, Seattle
• 3rd Guided Tour, Patricia Curran, Kent

Traditional, Student (???, Judge)

• 1st On Her Seventieth Birthday, Jonathan Potter, Kennewick
• 2nd But That's the Verdict, Valria Lopez, Seattle
• 3rd The Woodpecker, Jeff Hoeller, Seattle

1984

William Stafford, Adult (???, Judge)

• 1st Wild Man of the Wynoochee, Shannon Nelson, Olympia
• 2nd Rocking, Catherine Beyer, Albany, Oregon
• 3rd Bastille Day: Seattle, Carolyne Wright, Walla Walla

Homer Henderson, Senior High (???, Judge)

• 1st Three poems: What Would I Say to You, Ursus Middenforffi, Instead of Physics, Sara Olason, Renton
• 2nd (tie) Queen of Diamonds, Doug Mitchell, Renton
• 2nd (tie) oh two decades crow, Richard Thietje, Tacoma
• 3rd Oak, I Listen, Kristina Ohlman, Spokane

Totem, Junior High (???, Judge)

• 1st January Eulogy, Buzz Porter, Renton
• 2nd The Concerto, Amber Bevacqua, Centralia
• 3rd Grandma's House, Natalie Lang, Everett

Traditional Verse, Adult (???, Judge)

• 1st The Diagnosis, Franz Schneider, Spokane
• 2nd Immaculate Heart, Helen Pearson, Renton
• 3rd October Is Tuscany, Patricia Curran, Kent

Traditional, Senior High (???, Judge)

• 1st The Same Old Story, Pearl Klein, Seattle
• 2nd Your Blue-Edged Face, Christine Knight, Seattle
• 3rd Night Is a Pulsing of Orion's Veins, Sara Olason, Renton

Traditional, Junior High (???, Judge)

• 1st Evening, Amber Bevacqua, Centralia
• 2nd Purple, Anna Hosick, Pullman
• 3rd Thoughts, Jenny Lovoid, Auburn

1985

For this year's contests, we have no record of places won by specific poets, but do have the following lists of finalists. If you have more complete or accurate information on placements, please contact us.

William Stafford, Adult (Carolyn Kizer, Judge)

Finalists

• Darlene Carson, Bellevue
• Nancy Girvin, West Richland
• Carol Gordon, Olympia
• Joseph Green, Bellingham
• Sara Olason, Renton
• Michael Spence, Seattle

Homer Henderson, Senior High (Nixon Handy, Judge)

Finalists

• Shaun Berkbigler, Seattle
• Dana Bisiack
• Cindy Cayo, Gig Harbor
• Carla Cummings, Yakima
• Amie Strom, Gig Harbor
• Sandy Walden, Gig Harbor

Totem, Junior High (Everett Thompson, Judge)

Finalists

• Parag Budhecha
• Jackie Butterworth
• Katie Castillo
• Katy Ellis
• Lisa Von Hagel
• Paula Sen
• Trang Tran

Special Awards, Sixth Grade (Margo Reinsch, Judge)

Finalists

• Robin M. Ackerman
• Dowell Eugenio
• Amanda Mitchell

Traditional Verse, Adults (Alice Derry, Judge)

Finalists

• Donnell Hunter
• Gayle Rogers Kaune
• Shelley Rozen
• Sharon E. Rusbuldt
• Charlotte G. Warren

Traditional Verse, Senior High (Howard Tomlinson, Judge)

Finalists

• Kim N. Crain
• John Geisler
• Clarissa Hau
• Aaron W. Ireland
• Jonathan Merrill
• Britt Penland

Traditional Verse, Junior High (Howard Tomlinson, Judge)

Finalists

• Susan Brown
• Anya Powers-Probstfeld
• Mitch Schaum
• Alan Van Slyke
• Vicki Jo Ragan
• Wendy White
• Trafford Woodford

1986

William Stafford, Adult (???, Judge)

• 1st Professions, Robert Ward
• 2nd Polaroid Witness Reconsidered, Kaye Lundquist
• 3rd Arnawater Moor, Teri Platt

Homer Henderson, Senior High (???, Judge)

• 1st Paige's Graduation, Wendy Bowen
• 2nd Copy Cat, Sonja Kindley
• 3rd To a Cousin North of Richland, Sean Parker

Totem, Junior High (???, Judge)

• 1st Starry Night, Brak Althauser
• 2nd My Brother Matt, Daniel Thomas
• 3rd Underwater Paradise, Michael Zimmerman

Traditional, Adult (???, Judge)

• 1st Sitting with Gram, Dixie Partridge
• 2nd Point Wilson Light, Donnell Hunter
• 3rd Down Cedar Creek Canyon, Robert R. Ward

Traditional, Senior High (???, Judge)

• 1st Laughter Fades into Fog, Lorri Detrick
• 2nd Wedding Present, Jennifer Drake
• 3rd Urban Dollhouse, Lorri Detrick

Traditional, Junior High (???, Judge)

• 1st The Dark, Heather Loebe
• 2nd A Lemonade Waterfall, Amy King
• 3rd Silly Billy Brubaker, Kirk Lupkes

1987

William Stafford, Adult (???, Judge)

• 1st The Mountain Where Old People Are Abandoned, Sharon Hashimoto
• 2nd Neil's Turn, Beverly Lehman West
• 3rd Late Spring, Robert R. Ward

Homer Henderson, Senior High (???, Judge)

• 1st After Two Hours of Being Poked in the Heart, Lisa Purdy
• 2nd lesson, Martin Taylor
• 3rd Closet Witch, Melanie Sharp

Totem, Junior High (???, Judge)

• 1st Ten Natural Poems, Laura Dunham
• 2nd Memento, Josh Maser
• 3rd Volunteer Park, Diana Larrimore

Traditional, Adult (???, Judge)

• 1st Sweet After-Death, Marjorie Rommel
• 2nd 39 Lines of Prime Idaho Beachfront, Jennifer Detering
• 3rd Letter to My Father, Margot Smullyan

Traditional, Senior High (???, Judge)

• 1st (tie) Waves-Villanelle, Wendy Roseman
• 1st (tie) A Trip to Kathmandu, Ben Hanson
• 2nd Fish Tank, Jacquelyn Meade
• 3rd Citizen of Mars, Geoff Ivie

Traditional, Junior (6-9) (???, Judge)

• 1st Life's No Habit, Annie Grubbs
• 2nd The Morning Calls, Crystal Hoeman
• 3rd Snowplow, Eric Lunzer

1988

For this year's contests, we have no record of places won by specific poets, but do have the following lists of finalists. If you have more complete or accurate information on placements, please contact us.

William Stafford, Adult (???, Judge)

• Family Reunion, Murray Anderson
• How Does It Go, That War Story?, K. Margaret Grossman
• A Word By Which I Know, Gayle Rogers Kaune
• On Dinosaur Tracks, Prunes and Peace, Susan Landgraf
• After Visiting the Monument of the Chelan School Bus Tragedy, Kevin Miller
• Burned Over, Cynthia Pratt
• My Aunt's Disease, Shelley C. Reece
• Esther, Shelley Rozen
• Following the Clear Water, George Tiffany
• On the Death of Jascha Heifitz, Diane Westergaard

Homer Henderson, Senior High (???, Judge)

• Inspiration, Eve Anderson
• Pentecostal, Teresa Bair
• Father John, Stephen Baker
• Hunter, Jennifer Etzwiler
• How to Earn a Dollar, Dawn Flynn
• Daddy's War, Heather Kauer
• Pianissimo, Britta Kley
• Jervis Inlet, Stefani Lynn Poet
• The Last Event, Denise Potvin
• Cool Creations, Kim Prater
• The Pain of Dying on a Leftover Sunday, Lisa Purdy

Totem, Junior High (???, Judge)

• No Understanding, Sara Burnett
• Only Way Out, Kelly Glassburn
• The River, Seth Hudson
• A Tree, Michael Miltimore
• A Room with a View, Wazhma Samizay
• Snow White Winter, Tina Tuomala

Traditional, Adult (???, Judge)

• At the Ballet School, Stephen Brady
• It Was a Good Year for Yellow Jackets, Lawrence W. Carreau
• Three Sisters Sweeping, Carol Gordon
• Twins, Leigh Hunt
• Near the Family Truth, Susan Landgraf

Traditional, Student (???, Judge)

• The End of the Camping Season at Riley Creek, Rebecca Blegen
• Where Do Angels Hide?, Jacqueline E. Buck
• To Enola, Christy Harding
• The Clouds in the Sky, Heather Hyatt
• Dreams, Hope Justice
• A Day in the Sun Dripped Gold, Annie Koegler
• The Storm, Jenna Parker
• The Spider, Beth A. Pratt

1989

William Stafford, Adult (Carolyne Wright, Judge)

• 1st ???, Deborah Woodard

Runners Up

• Jan Dunbar
• Dixie Partridge
• Teri Platt
• Margot Smullyan

Homer Henderson, Senior High (Tom Snyder, Judge)

• 1st ???, Dawnya Galbreath

Runners Up

• ???, Michelle Clark
• ???, Michelle Corsilles
• ???, Liana Garcia
• ???, Robert Green
• ???, Deborah Harlan
• ???, Scott Moan
• ???, Dana Salsbury
• ???, Ona Winey

Totem, Junior High (Teresa Bachman, Judge)

• 1st ???, Eric Newcomb

Runners Up

• ???, Nikki Nesary
• ???, Beth Olson

Traditional Forms, Adult (Jim Snydal, Judge)

• 1st ???, Helen Pearson

Runners Up

• ???, Patricia Frauchiger
• ???, Sarah Singer

Traditional Forms, Junior (Katheryn MacDonald, Judge)

• 1st ???, Tammie Slater

Runners Up

• ???, Sheila Billingsley
• ???, Cari Lyn Hubbell
• ???, Autumn Kegley

Charles Proctor, Humor (Christine Deavel, Judge)

Top Three

• ???, Vel Gerth
• ???, Virginia Leinart
• ???, Robert Ward

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