# River of Words Awards 2006

Former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass returned to the Library of Congress to moderate a program honoring the student winners of the 10th annual River of Words environmental poetry and art contest. Young poets and artists, in kindergarten through 12th grade from around the country, read their poems, displayed their winning works of art and talked with Hass about their work. Connie McDonald, the River of Words Teacher of the Year, also was honored. She teaches at the Louisiana State Lab School in Baton Rouge. The ceremony, which honors the winners and their families, included the presentation of awards in four categories: --International Award: Leung Man Wai, 11, Hong Kong, China --Poetry Grand Prizes: Avery Forsythe, 8, Crested Butte, Colo.; Devin Felter, 12, New Windsor, N.Y.; Audrey Larkin, 12, San Francisco, Calif; Diana Chien, 17, Holmdel, N.J. --Art Grand Prizes: Keeley Christiansen, 6, Watsonville, Calif.; Kieran McElvaney, 9, Marietta, Ga.; You Na Park, 15, Lorton, Va.; John Dixon,17, Hollister, Calif. --Monkey's Raincoat Haiku Prize: Clay McMullen, 11, Chesterfield, Ohio Hass and writer Pamela Michael founded River of Words in 1995 to promote literacy, the arts and environmental awareness. Hass said, "Our goal is to help children fall in love with the earth." A nonprofit organization, River of Words offers a wide range of educational opportunities for teachers and students, as well as local partnership and community outreach programs, publications and exhibitions.…

- Kind: Talk
- Year: 2006
- By: Library Of Congress. Literary Initiatives Office
- Genres: Music
- Archive: [Library of Congress](https://www.loc.gov/item/2021687762/)
- Licence or status: Rights statement at the Library of Congress (as the archive states it)
- Credit: Library of Congress
- Who can watch: Tweens profiles and older (the archive gives no rating; placed by Invisible Network from its collection and subjects)

[Watch now](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/watch/archive/loc/2021687762?play=1)