Five POEM FOREST special mentions

To coincide with the announcement of the POEM FOREST Shortlist and an incredible 5,700+ entries to the prize this year, we're sharing five extra special moments that resonated with us as we read poems from far and wide.

1. Community greening in Port Kembla
   Port Kembla Public School sent photos of their youth poets greening the playground with native plants offered free to eligible schools as part of our Wollongong Community Greening Local Prize category. Teacher Renae Regner said, "[the students] have really enjoyed writing these poems and especially loved that so many trees will be planted!" Read their poems here.
   
2. Poem trees for the POEM FOREST
   Students at St Columba's Catholic College and teacher Sarah McCauly wrote their nature poems on colourful paper leaves and crafted visual poem trees to decorate the school entrance! Read their poems here.
   
3. Koala Conservation on the Mornington Peninsula
   Year 6 student Sophia vZ from Mornington Primary School sent a snap of them restoring natural habitat to private farmland with the Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation! Sophia's poem 'Salmon!' is on our Shortlist - read it here.
   
4. St Francis Xavier College reads Bindi
   Teacher Anthony Crowe's special and inclusive education class were inspired by POEM FOREST judge Kirli Saunders' book Bindi. The prize was their first foray into poetry - as Anthony said, "Some reluctant writers are speaking about writing as fun! The thought of a tree being planted has also captured their imagination. They will be thrilled to see their poems online." Read their poems here.
   
5. Visual poems from Mentone Girls' Grammar
   Teachers Nicole Spence and Ed Brewis reached out to us with dozens of beautifully hand-illustrated poems from their Year 4 classes, making positive climate action with their words & drawings! Read their poems here.