cat eyes
Buttonwood Park Zoo Press Release
Buttonwood Park Zoological Society Announces Annual Animal Poetry Contest
For Immediate Release

New Bedford, MA-
Ten area students recently received recognition as the winners of the Buttonwood Park Zoological Society's Annual Poetry Contest. The theme of this year's poems focused on the animals of the Zoo's new Wildlife Carousel. Students in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades from sixteen school districts submitted 391 poems.
The Zoological Society congratulates all participants in this year's contest. 

First place winners are Marc Toldo, grade four; Tajia Washington, grade five; and Hattie Keene-Reinhard, grade six.  Second place winners include: Emily Gagnon, grade four; Breanna Arruda, grade five; Alyssa Botelho, grade six; and Krishna Patel, grade six.  Third place winners include: Madison Correia, grade four; Jessy Sanders, grade five; and Thais Harney, grade six.

The young poets recited their poems and received their awards during the Society's annual meeting on December 7th. The awards were presented by Society President Blair Bailey and Society Executive Director Patricia Burke. Judges for the poetry contest were Susan Grace and Liz LaValley, members of the Bartleby Scrivener Poets, a local writers group. Society Board Member Fred Smialek and Administrative Assistant Irene Avilla coordinated the contest.

Please visit www.bpzoo.org  under "Things to Do" to read the winning poems.

Poetry Contest Winners
Pictured Above: Winners of the Buttonwood Park Zoological Soceity's 2010 Annual Animal Poetry Contest.




                                                                         
The Buttonwood Park Zoological Society (BPZS), a private, non-profit organization, was founded in 1969 to support the Buttonwood Park Zoo (BPZ) so that the Zoo will be a significant contributor to the conservation of nature both at home and throughout the world.  

Buttonwood Park Zoo (BPZ) features over 250 animals and 30 exhibits, including elephants, bison, mountain lions, bears, eagles, seals, otters, and farm animals.  BPZ is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and has been called "one of the finest small zoos in the United States" by that organization.

It is open daily, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, visit www.bpzoo.org or call (508) 991-6178.

Buttonwood Park Zoological Society
Patricia Burke
Interim Executive Director
email: [email protected]
phone: (508) 991-4556 ext. 11