Ridge High School Student Wins National Poetry Contest

BASKING RIDGE, NJ—Already a proficient artist, Ridge High School junior Sophie Piedras has added poetry to her repertoire.

Sophie, 17, was named one of 25 National Winners in the 23rd annual National High School Poetry Contest. The competition, which receives more than 15,000 entries per year from the U.S. and its territories, was sponsored by the Live Poets Society of NJ and "JUST POETRY!!!" magazine, awards up to $500 in individual scholarships to the winners.

"I've always like poetry, Sophie said, "I discovered communities of people on social media writing poetry, so I started writing some in my spare time and then came across this contest."

Sophie's poem, "Until Midnight No Longer Stings” is written from the viewpoint of an African-American girl living in today's troubled times.

"It just tries to show the opposite perspective," she said, "so it shows her struggle with racism and everything she's dealt with."

The Ridge High School student said she didn't expect to win the contest. In fact, she entered only to improve her poetry writing. A multi-talented artist, she is in AP art classes at Ridge High School, recently had a piece of her art displayed, and is even planning to publish a children's book soon.

"We're so proud of her," said Sophie's mom, Janine Kramer. "She's so artistic and she expresses it in so many different ways."

Sophie already had a passion for writing, and she recently took two classes for high school students at Columbia University, a school she hopes to attend after she graduates.

"We got to read poetry by people like Langston Hughes," she said, "and we learned all about the history of New York. This really inspired my poetry about the Black Lives Matter movement."

Looking ahead, she said she wants to study sociology, but is considering a double-major. Whatever she chooses to do, she insists she will continue to express herself and the message she wants to send.

"I'm really interested in art," she said, "it's so important, especially now, to express certain messages that need to come across."