North Springs Freshman Wins National Poetry Contest

The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and Preservation District and International World Peace Rose Gardens selected North Springs High School Freshman Academy student Zoe Allen as a winner in their prestigious Inspirational Messages of Peace Contest. Chosen from over 4,100 student entries nationwide, her poem, The Flower of Love, will be permanently displayed on a plaque in the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park rose garden in Atlanta.

North Springs High School was one of only two Fulton County schools invited to participate in the 2025 competition, due to the student body’s strong commitment to community service, particularly their active volunteer participation in the City Springs Martin Luther King Celebration each year.

The contest was an immersive learning experience for North Springs freshman social studies students, who studied the vision and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, as well as the mission of the International World Peace Rose Garden. Inspired by their learning, each student wrote an original poem exploring themes of peace, love, and unity. Under the guidance of 9th-grade English teacher Caroline Beltrami, the school narrowed down seven finalists, who then submitted their entries to the competition. The North Springs finalists included: Zoe Allen, Destiny Alexander, Layla Baker, Theo Ballou, Priscilla Murguia, Mary Okugbeni, and Emery Overton.

On May 15, 2025, Zoe will take the stage at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where she will read her poem aloud before unveiling the plaque in the historic rose garden.

“This is an incredible achievement, not just for Zoe, but for our entire school community,” said Ms. Kelly Olson, Zoe’s AP Human Geography teacher, who led the initiative for North Springs 9th-grade academy students to participate in this contest. “This project gave our students a meaningful way to reflect on peace and justice, and Zoe’s words will now inspire visitors for years to come.”

Zoe shared her excitement about this honor, saying, “I wanted to write something that reflects love and kindness in the world. It’s amazing to know that my words will be part of such an important place.”

North Springs High School celebrates Zoe’s achievement and applauds the dedication of all student finalists whose voices contributed to this meaningful project. Their work reflects the power of young people to inspire change, and Zoe’s message will now live on as a lasting tribute to peace and unity.