The Shadows-on-the-Teche held its First Annual Juneteenth Student Poetry Contest. Using I, Too by poet Langston Hughes as a prompt, Iberia Parish public school students were invited to write poems to commemorate the Juneteenth National Holiday. The theme of the competition was “Freedom and Justice for All.” 

Winners of the competition were announced in two categories: middle school and high school. Cash prizes were awarded to first, second, and third place winners in each category. Students who placed had the opportunity to read their poems.

Judges for the competition are Dr. Mona Lisa Saloy, current Poet Laureate of Louisiana, Darrell Bourque, Poet Laureate of Louisiana, 2007-2011, and John Warner Smith, Louisiana Poet Laureate, 2019-2021.