NCTE Committee on Excellence in Poetry for Children Selection Committee

Function: To recommend on a regular basis every three years beginning in 1985 a living American poet to the NCTE Executive Committee for the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children in recognition of his or her aggregate work; to sustain the collection of poetry books of award winners, past and future, in the University of Minnesota, Kerlan Collection; to recognize and foster excellence in children's poetry by encouraging its publication; and to explore ways to acquaint teachers and children with poetry through such means as publications, programs, and displays.

The NCTE Poetry Committee met on Friday, November 19, from 4:00 – 5:15 P.M. at the Westin Hotel during the NCTE  National Convention in Indianapolis with all seven members present.  During the meeting their list of potential winners of the Excellence in Poetry award was reduced to seven and each committee member chose to serve as advocate for one of the poets when the committee meets in Pittsburgh at the NCTE Convention.  Final plans were also made for the November 2005 Convention program proposal.  That proposal has since been submitted and accepted.  It is titled “Finding Common Ground:  Poets, Editors, and Publishers Share Perspectives”.  The poet’s perspective will be presented by Janet Wong, the editor’s perspective by Emma D. Dryden of Atheneum & McElderry Books, and the publisher’s perspective by Stephen Roxburgh of Front Street Books.  A writer representing the new poet’s perspective will also be introduced.  Peggy Oxley and Sylvia Vardell will co-chair the event and Daniel Woolsey will serve as Recorder/Respondent.  The session is scheduled for Saturday, November 19, 2005, from 11:00 A.M. to 12:15 P.M.

The Committee also sponsored a convention session called “Slammin’ Jammin’ Signifyin’ - Poets and Participants Perform Poetry” at the Indianapolis Convention.  Panel members Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Avis Harley, Georgia Heard, and J. Patrick Lewis (Jaime Adoff was unable to attend due to illness) who set a lively pace for the jam were joined by audience participants who had each received a small jam jar containing several poems on slips of paper.  The meeting room was filled to capacity and the jam was a great success.  Peggy Oxley and Sylvia Vardell co-chaired the event and Daniel Woolsey acted as Reactor/Respondent.

The committee will be meeting in Pittsburgh at the NCTE Convention to make the final selection for the 2006 Excellence in Poetry award.  The winner will be announced at the 2005 Books for Children Luncheon and the winning poet will receive the award at the 2006 Books for Children Luncheon.  The committee will submit a proposal for a poetry session at the November 2006 NCTE Convention featuring a presentation by the newest winner of the Excellence in Poetry for Children Award.

Peggy Oxley and Sylvia Vardell, Co-Chairs