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Pikes Peak Library District’s annual Jean Ciavonne Poetry Contest engages 4th and 5th grade writers. Poetry creates opportunities for children to explore a variety of topics and emotions through writing. The 2025 contest theme is Poems of Belonging: Home, Community, and Origins. This contest continues Jean Ciavonne’s legacy of connecting children with poetry and writing. 

Questions to ask yourself as you think about your poem: Where are you from? What is home for you? Who are your people? Explore these and other questions in a poem and see what happens!

Questions to ask yourself as you write your poem: Can we see, smell, hear, and taste the imagery in your poem? Have you used rich vocabulary that tells us a story or paints a picture in our minds? Does your poem reflect the theme?

Six winners will each receive a book and a $50 cash prize. The contest is open to all 4th and 5th graders in El Paso County.

Submissions open on Mon., Dec. 2, 2024 and must be postmarked by Sat., March 1, 2025. Winners will be honored during an Awards Ceremony on Sat., April 19, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. at Penrose Library (20 N. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903). 

Contest Rules

1. Must be a 4th or 5th grader in El Paso County, Colorado.
2. One entry per student. Teachers are encouraged to review poems before submitting them.  
3. Each poem must be the original work of the contestant.  
4. Poems will be judged on originality, including poem title and adherence to the theme.  
5. Submit one double-spaced copy of the poem on 8 ½ x 11” paper (no handwritten submissions or illustrations will be accepted).  
   On a separate piece of paper, include your name, telephone number, home address, school name and address, and the names of the teacher and principal. Poems will not be returned, so please keep a copy.  
6. Entries must be postmarked by Sat., March 1, 2025. Submission of a poem constitutes full permission to exhibit, use, and publish the poem for any purpose – printed or electronic media – and to publish the name, school, and photographs and/or video of the student without compensation.  
7. Winners will be celebrated at an Awards ceremony where they will be given the opportunity to read their poem to the audience.

Entries may be mailed to: The Jean Ciavonne Poetry Contest c/o Christa Funke, Pikes Peak Library District P.O. Box 1579 Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1579 Or email entries, following the guidelines above to: cfunke@ppld.org

Questions? Call Christa Funke at 531-6333, x6331 or email cfunke@ppld.org. 

Congratulations to our 2024 winners!

• Elsie Byrne, 5th Grade, Homeschool - "Overlooked"
• Lilia Gerber, 5th Grade, Gerber Homeschool - “Black and Brown Again”
• Enray Liu, 4th Grade, The Classical Academy Central Elementary - “Melody of Courage”
• Clara Pavri, 5th Grade, Colorado International Language Academy - “Figures on a Crinkled Map”
• Sara Schmidt, 5th Grade, Thomas Maclaren School - “My Lost Heart”
• Sienna Shafer, 5th Grade, Monument Academy - “The Best Dream”

Jean Ciavonne Remembered from PPLD TV on Vimeo.

Your library card gives you access to a world of possibilities at Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD). In addition to a wide selection of physical and digital items you can check out, you also have access to a variety of online resources and databases. This month, take a closer look at Mango Languages and CustomGuide.

You will need a library card that starts with a 4 to access some of the resources on this page outside of a Library location.

Mango Languages

If you plan to travel out of country, are studying a language on your own or as a class, or want stronger English language skills, give yourself a boost with lessons from Mango Languages. This handy tool offers a selection of 70 languages to choose from, including English as a Second Language options for speakers of 21 different languages.

Work your way through micro lessons where you can hear and practice new vocabulary and grammar patterns. Lessons also include notes on grammar and culture in between vocabulary exercises to help you learn your new language.

With daily reviews, lesson recaps, and reading and listening challenges, this platform is designed to help you retain more of what you learn.

CustomGuide

Choose from a wide selection of online courses to help you further develop your professional skills. CustomGuide (formerly Learn on Demand) takes a more active approach to your skills development through interactive lessons instead of training videos for stronger learning results. 

• If you are a first-time user, you will need to create an account to get started. From there, you can complete short online courses related to:
• Business Skills (accounts and financing, communication, and professional development)
• Career Development (job hunting, personal branding, career coaching, and more)
• Compliance & Safety (drugs and alcohol, Human Resources compliance, cybersecurity, and more)
• Customer Service  
• Diversity & Inclusion (bias awareness, diversity basics, and diversity leadership)
• Google (Gmail, Google Docs, Google Meet, and more)
• Human Resources
• Leadership & Management  
• Microsoft (Excel, Outlook, SharePoint, and more)
• Sales & Marketing
• Technology (computer basics, Mac, and software)
• Training (authoring software, instructional design, and training trainers)
• Wellness (mental health, personal growth, work-life balance, and more)

Before you start a course, you can view how long it will take to complete. Do not be put off if it says it will take an hour or more to finish. Each course is broken down into a series of short lessons that you can start and stop at any time. Do a quick lesson while you wait for your toast to pop up in the morning or any time you find a few minutes of downtime.

When you click on a course, you will see a preview of what you will learn in each lesson. Each has a pre-assessment where you can test yourself on what you already know, an interactive lesson, and a post-assessment for you to test what you learned. With no time limits and the flexibility to start and stop whenever you want, you will learn at your own pace. 

Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) is excited to bring you Virtual Author Visits in partnership with the Library Speakers Consortium. Join us and hear from bestselling authors and thought leaders on a range of topics, from puzzling science to epic fantasy to decluttering your home. Whether you are an avid or occasional reader, there is nothing quite like listening to insightful talks by authors you have read or new ones you are just discovering. You never know what will catch your interest. Attend these events at no cost from the comfort of home. 

In December’s lineup, join us on Wed., Dec. 4 at noon for a dazzling conversation about the Smithsonian National Gem Collection with its emeritus curator Dr. Jeffrey Post. In Post’s book, The Smithsonian National Gem Collection Unearthed: Surprising Stories Behind the Jewels, he brings to life the incredible stories behind this extensive gem collection. The Smithsonian’s Unearthed series explores the scandals, mysteries, and human stories behind the world's greatest gems. Register for the access link.

For the last Virtual Author Visit in December, you’re invited to join us on Wed., Dec. 11 at noon and hear from #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told Me, Laura Dave. With her trademark combination of soulful suspense and evocative family drama, her new book, The Night We Lost Him, is a riveting page-turner. Register now to learn about this book and so much more! Register for the access link.

Learn more and see upcoming authors on our Virtual Author Visits page or check out past Virtual Author Visits here! 

More Upcoming Virtual Author Visits

• Wed., Jan. 15 at 5 p.m.: The Magic of Found Family: In Conversation with Author TJ Klune
• Thu., Jan. 23 at noon: Notes on Modern Irrationality with Bestselling Author Amanda Montell
• Tue., Jan. 28 at 11 a.m.: An Inside Look at Working with a Literary Agent: A Conversation with Seth Fishman