The Malad Valley Welsh Festival sponsors Youth Poetry and Youth Art Competitions for the students in Oneida County. Winners of the Art Competition and Semi-Finalists of the Poetry Competition were announced before school was out.

Over 300 students created works of art for the Youth Art Competition. Any art medium could be used as long as symbols of Wales were depicted. Participants from Stone and Malad Elementary Schools and Malad Middle School designed art with dragons, castles, daffodils, and other typical Welsh symbols. The winners received coupons to the food and craft booths at the Welsh Festival.

The 100 winning works of art will be displayed in the church building next to Malad City Park throughout the Festival on June 30-July 1. Winners will be recognized before the Youth Poetry Reading on Friday, June 30, at 1:00 p.m. in the church. Chair of the Youth Art Committee is Joan Hawkins with Kelley Neal as an assistant. Judges were artists from throughout Malad Valley.

Nealy 400 students composed original poetry for the Youth Poetry Competition. The theme this year was “Kindness,” as based on the last sermon of St. David, the patron saint of Wales. The 110 winning Semi-Finalists from the

Malad schools received coupons to the food and craft booths at the Welsh Festival.

The Semi-Finalists are invited to become Finalists by coming to the Welsh Festival and reciting or reading their poems.

The Youth Poetry Reading will be on Friday, June 30, at 1:00 in the church building next to Malad City Park. The top winner at each grade level will be crowned and receive a $50 prize. Second place will receive $25, and third place will receive $10. Chair of the Youth Poetry Committee is Annette Elcock. Judges for both the preliminary poetry competition and the final poetry reading are retired English teachers from Marsh Valley, Cache Valley, and Malad as well as the past Bards of the Malad Valley Welsh Festival.

Malad Valley Welsh Festival Youth Art Winners for 2023

Not all classes participated. All winning entries will be displayed at the Welsh Festival.

Kindergarten

Mrs. Reiss class: First place, Madeline Shandrew; Second place, Jaxon Miller; Third place, Oakley Duessler; Honorable mentions: Raelynn Patterson, Bridger Jones, Saxon Henry, Brittany Baker, Autumn Donnan, Lukas Deschamps, Gracie Smith.

Mrs. Crossley class: First place, Brielle Bird; Second place, Reimington Sweeten; Third place Navy Beutler; Honorable mentions: Samuel Tooke, Lincoln Moss, Sway Mortensen, Lexi Crowther, Kinzley Hamilton, Kiana Neal, Adaline “Addie” Smith, Chevlynn Nimer, Jordyn Horsley.

Mrs. Brown class: First place, Amber Evans; Second place, Gatlin Steed; Third place, Maylee Hanks; Honorable mentions: Lillian Blaisdell, Rosemary Jackman, Deegan Scott, Lydia Clark, Rhett Price, Mikayla Thorpe, Brayden Halajian, Josephene Jones, Gracie Cutler

First Grade

Ms. Ipsen class: First place, Brianna Williams; Second place, Morgon Blaisdell; Third place, Kallie Nimer; Honorable mentions: Elle Evanson, Kendall Carson, Barrett Burbridge, Weston Evans, Will Deschamps, Cam Coleman, Braelyn Bastian, Vivienne Atkinson.

Second Grade

Mrs. Hawkes class: First place, Brookell Nimer, Second place, Taycee Smith, tie for Third place, Kyler Price and Aiden Ostrom; Honorable mentions: Emma

Spencer, Kody Wangsgard, Aiyana Frankland, Zippy McCullough, Carter Jones, McCall Summers, Blakely Horsley.

Mrs. Jones class:  First place, Wynn Werk; Second place, Lafe Huckaby; Third place, Eva Henry; Honorable mentions: Charlie Blackner, Audrey Blaisdell, Camden Crowther, Paige (Valorie) Donnan, Becky Evans, Dawson Miller, Hannelore Ross, Taggart Smith, Heather Sturges, Zylee Titus.

Mrs. Ball class:  First place, Piper Lewis; Second place, Kinsley Johnson; Third place, Claire Wright; Honorable mentions: Aidyn Call, Cache Lake, Shelby Sorensen, Dekker Davis, Cora Conger, Riggins Sweeten.

Fourth grade

Mrs. Cook class:  First place, Bryten Bastian; Second place, Jaycee Jewell Johnson; Third place, Kaycee Daniels; Honorable mentions: Keith Hamilton, Paige Eliason, Annabelle Shandrew, Rhyze Anderson, Karmyn Charles, McCall Clark, Heber Johnson, Madelyn Gonzalez, Alex Niemoller, Easton Tripp.

Mrs. Waldron class:  First place, Zaira Hamilton; Second place, Liam Atkinson; Third place, Eva Coleman; Honorable mentions: Lyla Reed, Hector Oseguera, Cheryse Brees, Andie Talbot, Eli Josh Napier, Riggin Reeder, Raygun Hansen, Emery Talbot, Ruby Coleman, Thatcher Sweeten. 

Fifth Grade

Mrs. Blaisdell class:  First place, Rose Butler; Second place, Kannon Davis; Third place, Sydney Hess; Honorable mentions: Gage Higley, Jaxson Kimberling, Tyker Hamilton, Ambria deJong, Sawyer Beutler, Madison Nalder, Luke Allen, Gage Steed, Macey Bird.

Mrs. Allen class:  First place, Arianna Stoddart; Second place, Rebecca Nelson; Third place, Joclynn Jackman; Honorable mentions: KaDee Daniels, Logan Cottam, Sylvie Gleckler, Haynks Carter, Seth Huckaby.

Mrs. Bagley class:  First place, Bentley Teeples; Second place, Bryn Cowdin; Third place, Anke Dickerson; Honorable mentions:  Kaysley Platt, Jace Call, Mariah Price, Hadley Evanson, Ethan Richards.    

Semi-Finalists

Malad Valley Welsh Festival Youth Poetry 

Competition 2023

Kindergarten

Porter Allen; Lillian Blaisdell; Lydia Clark; Hagen England; Amber Evans; Saxon Henry, Jordyn Horsley; Rosemary Jackman; Hyrum Jenkins; Jaxon Miller; Chevylynn Nimer; Michael Peterson; Raelynn Petterson; Addison Richardson; Deegan Scott; Madeline Shandrew; Addie Smith

First Grade

Vivienne Atkinson; Morgon Blaisdell; Cam Coleman; Weston Evans; Elle Evanson; Kallie Nimer; Brianna Williams

Second Grade

Charlie Blackner; Aiden Chabries; Camden Crowther; Blakely Horsley; Lafe Huckaby; Carter Jones; Zippy McCullough; Dawson Miller; Cooper Smith; Ellie Waldron; Wynn Werk

Third Grade

None

Fourth Grade

Everett Ashby; Isaac Bird; Brody Blaisdell; Jase Blaisdell; Eva Coleman; Ruby Coleman; Zaira Hamilton; Sofia Hess; Lineni Lavaka; Elijah Napier; Kinsley Neal; Hector Oseguera; Alyssa Seamons; Declan Summers; Aiden Weber

Fifth Grade

Luke Allen; Sawyer Beutler; Rose Butler; Ira Carter; Logan Cottam; Hadley Evanson; Sylvie Gleckler; Riggin Jensen; Jaxson Kimberling; Jettsem Miller