“A million words would not bring you back, I know because I have tried.

Neither would a million tears, because trust me, I have cried

As much as I wish you would appear next to me, I’m always hit with a painful dose of reality.”

PHS freshman Emma Johnson received the exciting news Jan. 28 that her poems written for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards national competition had been recognized. 

Her poems, “Shots that Influenced the Pen” and “A Guiding Acronym” received honorable mentions. Her poem, “October 22” earned  the Silver Key Award. And “Wishing Upon a Dead Star” advanced to the national level after receiving the Gold Key Award.

Johnson never got to meet her grandfather, and this inspired her to write “Wishing Upon a Dead Star” after hearing friends, family and classmates talking about their experiences and memories with their own.

“It was a story on how I wish I had a grandfather because I hear my classmates talk about what it’s like to have [one],” Johnson said. “It reminds me that things happen for a reason [and] while it is sad, there is also that overcoming part of the grief stage.”

Johnson’s English 9 teacher Mr. Vin Cappiello was able to help her set up an account on  Scholastic to submit her poems. Johnson had told him the news about her results as well. Cappiello said Johnson worked hard on these poems and it was understandable why she did so well. 

“She was very humble when she told me, and I’m sure no one was as excited as her,” Mr. Cappiello said. “It just goes to show that hard work and perseverance pays off but also that good things happen to good people. She definitely deserved this; I couldn’t be more proud.”

This wasn’t the only time Johnson had been involved with this competition. In middle school, she entered the same contest with some of her artwork. She decided to try poetry this year, and the choice worked out well.

“I competed in the art competition when I was in seventh grade,” Johnson said. “These poems, I was just really proud of them, and I thought that I would submit them this year and see what happens.”

Her poems reflected her emotions and her way of feeling. “Wishing Upon a Dead Star” is a great example of that. But her other poems were also written especially well and showed critical thinking and hard work.

“It is a microcosm of Emma as a person because it’s so emotionally charged,” Mr. Cappiello said. “If you know Emma, you know she feels everything and she’s got her finger on the pulse of that type of thing very well.”

“A million words will not bring you back, I know because I have tried.

Neither will a million tears, because trust me, they have dried.

And as much as I wish you would appear next to me, I am always hit with a sad dose of reality.”

— Emma Johnson, “Wishing Upon a Dead star”