Student poets at City College get the chance to win up to $600 by entering the annual Emmons Poetry Contest.

David Starkey, Creative Writing Professor at City College, and Robert Emmons, local poet and philanthropist, developed the Emmons Poetry Contest in 2007 to promote creative writing on campus.

All students enrolled in at least six units this spring semester can compete for a chance to win a cash prize. No entry fee is required and deadline for entries is at 4 p.m. on March 18. Students can compose poems about any subject. So far no international student has ever won this contest.

“I feel, that in these hard economic times, that this contest encourages more writing from students”, Associate Professor Chella Courington said. “This contest is different from most other contests because it is free to register and you have nothing to lose and all to gain.”

In 2007 and 2008 first place winners were granted a $1,000 cash prize. Starting in 2009, the first place winner will receive $600. Second place will receive $400, third place $200, and three honorable mentions will receive $100 each.

The prizes will be awarded on April 28, 2011 in a ceremony at the Gourmet Dining Room.

Submissions and judging take place entirely online.

For more information and to register please go to http://emmons.sbcc.edu/