Four adults, four teens and three children have been selected as winners of the fourth annual Mid-Island Y Jewish Community Center's (45 Manetto Hill Road, Plainview) Poetry Contest. Gayl Teller, director of the JCC's Poetry Reading Series and its resident poet, presented the awards at a special ceremony held Sunday evening, June 4.

During the event, all of the winners read their poems and received certificates recognizing their outstanding work. In addition, prizes were awarded to the four adult winners as well as the poets that placed first in the teen and children categories. Twelve individuals received honorable mention recognition.

Úquot;I was extremely pleased with the many high caliber submissions this year,Úquot; said Teller, who also served as judge for the contest. More than 115 poems were entered into this year's competition.

Sponsored by the JCC's Cultural Arts Department, the poetry contest was divided into two divisions -- teens and adults. High school students and adult poets had an opportunity to enter their poems using one of the following themes: family values, environmental, friendship/respect for others, and miscellaneous. A Jewish content poetry contest was also held for children in grades K-6.

The entire list of winners follows:

1st place - The Fountain; Daddy's Girl; Bee Sting; Aunt Bea by Gloria Murray of Deer Park.

2nd place - The Resurrection; Your Gifts; The Window Stays Open by Muriel Harris Weinstein of West Hempstead.

3rd place - Her Life by Lola Ferris of Old Bethpage

4th place - Upon Receiving a Copy of My Daughter's Dissertation; Rutted Snow by Virginia Terris of Freeport.

The Empty Room; Erick's Waltz by Joan Magiet of Port Washington.

Gannets by Marion Menna of Huntington.

The Doll's Story by Linda Opyr of New Hyde Park.

The Stranger by Harold Engel of Far Rockaway.

That Shimmering Moon by Cliffort Colpitts of Inwood.

Five Minutes More by Kathleen Christopher of Hicksville.

Lilies by Ellen Pickus of Baldwin.

1st place - One Childhood, No Waiting by Jennifer Lebowitz of Long Beach.

2nd place - Sniffing Around the Kitchen; Our Queen Elizabeth by Jennifer Romig of Long Beach.

3rd place - The Search by Bryan Gergen of Lido Beach.

4th place - Great Grandma by Sarah Prussman of Lido Beach.

Camp; Burnt Out Flame by Brooke Epstein of Lido Beach.

Tear in Time by Natalya Tyrgalo of Long Beach.

1st place - The Showers by Leah Stern of Wantagh.

2nd place - Shabbat Candles by Arinn Amer of Syosset.

3rd place - I Cry by Brooke Katz of Woodbury.

The Six Day War by Rachel Margolis of Plainview.

Without by Laurel Rachelle Berkowitz of Great Neck.

The Ghetto Without Sunshine, by Eve Brickner of North Massapequa.

For more information about the Poetry Reading Series, the Poetry Contest and other JCC Cultural Arts events, please call Beverly Gilbert or Diana Kristall in the JCC's Cultural Arts Department, at 822-3535, ext. 347 or ext. 346.

The Mid-Island Y JCC is a non-profit community center offering programs for children, adults, seniors, singles and teens. For more information about the JCC, visit the website at www.miyjcc.org.