Local students take the stage, as witty as a rhyming mage, to showcase poems wrote by hand, and determine the winner of the land.

The Eberhart Poetry Contest judges announced the 2015 contest finalists. All finalists and their families are invited to the Eberhart Night of Poetry Event at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14. The event will take place at the Historic Hormel Home.

Finalists will be treated to the poetic sharing of Minnesota poet Sharon Chmielarz. This event is in partnership with the Friends of the Austin Public Library, Austin Public Education Foundation and the Historic Hormel Home, and is free and open to the public.

The finalists from each building are invited to read their poem during the event. School winners will be announced after all poems are shared. Certificates and awards will be presented at that time.

Thanks to all participants in the 2015 Eberhart Poetry Contest and to the Austin High School Language Arts Department for the willingness to judge all poems.

The finalists for the Eberhart Poetry Contest are:

Woodson Kindergarten Center

— Madison Graff

— Lexi Helgeson

— Aubrey Ruzek

Banfield Elementary School

— Claire Bliese [Grade 3]

— Max Larson [Grade 3]

— Nick Campbell [Grade 4]

Neveln Elementary School

— Izaak Belden [Grade 1]

— Ellie Lunt [Grade 3]

— Cora Feist [Grade 4]

Southgate Elementary School

— Sean Marks [Grade 2]

— Kimberly Folsom [Grade 3]

— Kylie Nienow [Grade 4]

Sumner Elementary School

— Kalli Potter [Grade 2]

— Kaiah Gibson [Grade 4]

— Siara Moreno [Grade 4]

I.J. Holton Intermediate School

— Ciara Earl [Grade 6]

— Alina Inthamthirath [Grade 6]

— Celestina LaVallie [Grade 6]

Ellis Middle School

— Sarah Bachmeier [Grade 8]

— Steven Conradt [Grade 8]

— McKenzie Pelletier [Grade 8]

Austin High School

— Sydney Johnson [Grade 9]

— Sydney Conway [Grade 10]

— Brooke Pazurek [Grade 10]