The Gaithersburg Book Festival has announced the finalists for its seventh annual high school poetry contest. This year’s theme, “Civic Duty,” inspired more than 130 students from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., to submit entries.
Holly Karapetkova, former Arlington County Poet Laureate, will select the top three winners. The first-, second- and third-place winners, along with the fan favorite, will be announced on May 17 at the Gaithersburg Book Festival.
“We are living in a time of tremendous uncertainty, but the voices of these young writers give me hope for our future,” Karapetkova said. “Writing poetry is an act of courage, and these poems show the resilience of young people in our community.”
The finalists’ poems are available on the festival’s website, where visitors can vote for their favorite until May 9 at 11 p.m. ET. You can vote for the fan favorite by clicking the “like” button at the end of each poem that you choose. The fan favorite winner will receive $25. The first-place winner will receive $250, second place $100, and third place $50.
The fan favorite contest allows the public to participate by reading and selecting their favorite poem from the finalists. Votes can be cast online through the festival’s website until the deadline. The finalist with the most votes will be named the fan favorite and recognized at the festival alongside the top three winners.
Festival founder and Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman praised the students’ creativity.
“Our talented student poets thoughtfully engaged with this year’s theme, civic duty, and its importance to themselves and society,” Ashman said. “We are proud to spotlight these emerging artists at the Gaithersburg Book Festival.”
The 12 finalists, listed alphabetically with their school and grade, are:
- Alexander Belter, Appomattox Regional Governor’s School (grade 12, Capron, Va.)
- Sebastian Biros, British International School of Washington (grade 11, Washington, D.C.)
- Leah Bulson, Richard Montgomery High School (grade 12, Rockville, Md.)
- Natalia Coronado-Mercer, Appomattox Regional Governor’s School (grade 10, Richmond, Va.)
- Ananya Gautam, Winston Churchill High School (grade 12, Potomac, Md.)
- Nathan Jaquette, Oakton High School (grade 10, Oakton, Va.)
- Rosie Lee, Holton-Arms School (grade 9, Potomac, Md.)
- Tris Meagher, Appomattox Regional Governor’s School (grade 10, Midlothian, Va.)
- Gloria Owolabi, Annapolis Senior High School (grade 11, Hanover, Md.)
- Lillian Payne, Annapolis Senior High School (grade 10, Annapolis, Md.)
- Anuraag San, Richard Montgomery High School (grade 11, Rockville, Md.)
- Kristen Swain, Richard Montgomery High School (grade 12, Rockville, Md.)
The contest was open to high school students in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., who attend public, private or homeschool programs.
The Gaithersburg Book Festival, celebrating its 16th year in 2025, is one of the Washington, D.C., area’s premier literary events. The festival, set for May 17 at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg, will feature author appearances, book signings, writing workshops, and more. Admission and shuttles from Shady Grove Metro and Montgomery County Fairgrounds are free. For more information, visit www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org.
