2018 Sejong Writing Competition
Sijo Winners
| Sijo | |
|---|---|
| First Place | Aidan Choo Holmdel, NJ 10th grade, Ms. Margaret McDonald Holmdel High School sijo |
| Second Place | Gabe Foulk Indianapolis, IN 10th grade, Ms. Leslie Appleby Franklin Central High School sijo |
| Third Place | Luke Eckler Chattanooga, TN 12th grade, Mr. Chuck Newell Notre Dame High School sijo |
| Honorable Mention Friend of the Pacific Rim Award |
Mari Caldero Pewaukee, WI 11th grade, Ms. Elizabeth Jorgensen Arrowhead Union High School sijo |
| Gigi Copeland Jensen Beach, FL 9th grade, Ms. Annie Line Jensen Beach High School sijo |
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| Meghana Karanth New York, NY 10th grade, Ms. Catherine Duffy Ward Melville High School sijo |
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| Sung Jung Kim Fairfax, VA 12th grade, Ms. Alyssa Blevins WT Woodson High School sijo |
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| Claire Lawrence Sussex, WI 12th grade, Ms. Elizabeth Jorgensen Arrowhead Union High School sijo |
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| Cole Siepmann Hartland, WI 12th grade, Ms. Elizabeth Jorgensen Arrowhead Union High School sijo |
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| Toni Smith Hartland, WI 11th grade, Ms. Elizabeth Jorgensen Arrowhead Union High School sijo |
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| Bryce Toussaint Oconomowoc, WI 12th grade, Ms. Elizabeth Jorgensen Arrowhead Union High School sijo |
My name is Aidan Choo and I am a sophomore at Holmdel High School. I am in my school's jazz ensemble, track team and chess team. I have and enjoyed writing from a young age, and also learned to write in both English and Korean as I had attended Korean school. I have participated in many writing competitions in both languages and was naturally drawn to this one as it was a fusion of the English language and Korean sijo. I liked the rhythm and cleverness of many famous Korean sijos and was eager to write my own.
I got the idea for my sijo from watching people of all ages play chess. Often at tournaments or even in chess tables in parks, I would see many grandfathers and their grandchildren playing chess together. I found it interesting that the game of chess could appeal to all people regardless of age or skill level. I am very thankful to have gotten first place for this competition and am glad to share some of my poetry with everyone.
I am a senior at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I have played soccer for 4 years and I was a captain this year, I've also played basketball for 4 years, cross country for two years, and bowling for one year. After college I plan on becoming an Environmental Engineer. I've always liked poems and certain intricate word play I hear in raps. I entered this competition because our English teacher made me and surprisingly I did well.
My name is Mari Caldero. I’m a junior at Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wisconsin. I love ice skating, bike riding and watching movies. At the moment, I’m taking many classes related to the medical field. I look forward to becoming an ER nurse in the future, and I am willing to work hard to do so. I’m a busy person who loves to meet people and is kind to everyone around me.
Ms. Jorgensen was the English teacher who introduced me to this competition. I had no I idea I would win, but I’m excited I achieved that. Writing a sijo poem brought out my creativity and I enjoyed showing it to others. I am highly grateful for Ms. Jorgensen's help and I am also grateful that I was part of this competition.
My name is Gigi Copeland. I am currently a freshman at Jensen Beach High School. As an avid learner of Chinese, Korean, and Spanish, I love finding ways to get involved in activities where I can both develop my interests and discover new things, such as being vice president of my school's Chinese club and a member of the cross country team.
Being from Florida, I continuously find myself excessively chilly during the slightest cold snap while my friends from the northeast and Canadian extended family are practically sweating-- just one of the struggles that come with being from the "Sunshine State".
I greatly appreciate being selected as an honorable mention in this competition among so many talented young writers. I hope to study abroad in South Korea at some point during my high school career and will keep the knowledge I gained in the art of sijo in mind as I continue to further my learning in Korean language and culture.
Hi. My name is Sung Jung Kim (Nickname: John). I am currently a senior at Woodson High School, and this fall, I will be attending Yale University. I currently serve as the president of the senior class, debate in Model United Nations, and is a member of many other clubs and national honor societies. Outside of school, I spend most of my time at church. As a member of the praise team, leader of the string ensemble, and much more, I am actively involved in a close-knit community that I absolutely love. Besides all these, I enjoy spending my free time participating in competitions. That’s how I ended up writing a sijo for the Sejong Writing Competition. Personally, I believe that school-independent competitions serve as a gateway for me to explore topics that are typically outside of the classroom curriculum. From filming videos about safety driving, experimenting with regenerative aquatic creatures, researching about the industry of solar energy, to learning how to write a sijo, I cannot express my appreciation for all the opportunities out there. Amidst all these, my number one priority is God! And I give Him all the glory and praise!
My name is Claire Lawrence. I am 18-years-old and go to Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wisconsin. I plan on attending University of Minnesota next year to major in elementary education. I have always had a passion for teaching and have always loved kids. I can’t wait for what’s in store for me in the future!
I love spending time with friends, watching movies and baking. Baking is something I have enjoyed ever since I was little. As a child, I remember being in the kitchen with my nana making cookies and that is something I will always hold close to my heart.
While writing my sijo poem, I had an important goal of emphasizing the dreams I have for traveling. I can’t wait for the day when I can travel to different states and even countries. Writing a sijo poem was difficult for me because I had to keep the amount of syllables in mind and follow a structure. Getting an honorable mention for this poem makes me really proud.
My name is Cole Siepmann. I am a senior at Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wisconsin. I enjoy playing lacrosse and hanging out with my family and friends. I heard about this competition in a creative writing class at my high school. Writing sijo poetry was my favorite piece of creative writing we did all year. I have never enjoyed writing and never thought I was good at it. Sijo poetry made writing fun because I was able to use creativity and less length than an essay. In the future, I plan to get a degree in business or finance. I am interested in math and hope to follow that interest into my career. In my sijo poem, I just thought about everyday life and how I could write a creative poem with a twist. In “Danger” I used intense language and then connected that to playing in the yard with my brother.
My name is Bryce Toussaint. I am 17-years-old and I attend Arrowhead Union High School. My creative writing teacher, Ms. Jorgensen, introduced me to sijo poems. Instantly, my brain was filled with inspiration and ideas, but one stood out. I knew I had to write about baseball because it has been my passion since I could walk. I play on my high school varsity team and I’m continuing my baseball career in college. In college, I plan to get my degree in the medical field to be an athletic trainer or a physical therapist. I like this career because it will keep me involved in sports even after I cannot play.
Being selected as a winner, out of a large number of people who entered this competition, is a tremendous accomplishment. I am very thankful to be named an honorable mention. I would like to thank Ms. Jorgensen because she inspired me to write even when I was not very interested in it, but I could not be happier that she did.