Young Hampton poets dazzle in National Garden Clubs contest

When photographed from space, earth looks like a big blue marble.

But closer to home, another color of nature is much more prevalent. And these days, it may be the favorite of Hampton student Ruby Heitzenroeder.

In her final year at Central Elementary School, she placed first in Pennsylvania and third in the United States among fifth-grade entrants in the National Garden Clubs Inc. Youth Poetry Contest for 2023-24. The theme was “I Spy With My Little Eye Something Green Outside.”

Central classmates Elijah Haberman, Charlotte Hamburg and Brenna Kaehly joined Ruby at the top in the state, coming in second, third and fourth, respectively.

They participated in the contest through the Ingomar Garden Club, which celebrated the students’ accomplishments during an Aug. 7 meeting at St. Thomas Anglican Church in Richland. Chris Hawthorne and Barb Oswald, who co-chair conservation and youth activities for the club, presented awards and bouquets of flowers to Ruby and Brenna, who attended the meeting with family members and treated guests to readings of their poems:

• “Beautiful Shades” by Ruby Heitzenroeder

Nature is beautiful, beautifully green

Green is the leaves hanging from the trees

Stems, stems, stems on the bottom of flowers

All in different shades of beautiful green

Light green, light green, the color of moss

Nature is always

BOSS

Dark green, dark green, like the pine trees

With the butterflies, birds and bees

Different shades of green you may see

Green is the flowers with the bees

Four-leaf clover that is super lucky

Plants are beautiful, beautifully green

Every day you might see a beautiful shade of beautiful green

Beautiful, beautiful green, green

• “Meadow” by Brenna Kaehly

She walked through the meadow, her green eyes glistened

The stems on the flowers seemed to listen

The clovers and grass swayed gracefully

As the creatures of the world whispered softly

The night sky sparkled, the stars in the sky

As the frogs’ croak echoed it truly seemed to fly

The creek beyond glistened in the light

The trees swayed the meadow at night

Another guest at the meeting was Laura Ellis of Franklin Park, reading a letter of thanks to the club written by son Liam, who was working and unable to attend. The 2023 graduate of Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh was the recipient of a $1,000 club scholarship for his freshman year of higher education, and the award has been renewed for 2024-25 and will continue to be as long as he maintains environmental studies as his major and at least a 3.5 grade point average.

“My first two semesters at the College of William & Mary have taught me so much, particularly my environmental classes, which have included an introductory course in environmental science, as well as courses in environmental and natural resource economics,” he wrote. “I was able to earn a spot on the dean’s list both semesters, and I’ve solidified my decision to double major in environmental studies and economics, all thanks to you.”

He is spending the summer on a full-time arborist internship with Davey Tree Expert Tree Co.

“I’ve learned an extraordinary amount about trees, their needs, how businesses function and about people in general,” Liam wrote. “The experience has been well-rounded and will surely help me greatly in my future career.”

The Ingomar Garden Club was established in 1946 as a philanthropic organization dedicated to the art of gardening and flower design, protection of the environment, conservation of natural resources and civic improvement.

Along with the National Garden Clubs and its Central Atlantic Region, Ingomar has membership in the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania’s District IX, Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.

For more information, visit www.ingomargardenclub.com.