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COVID-19 restrictions delay poetry contest

The Writing Fellows in collaboration with MCCC’s Inside Out Dance Ensemble is hosting a poetry contest.

The deadline for submission was previously Nov. 18. However, because of the three-week shut down of the college, the submission deadline has been extended.

Lori Jo Couch, assistant professor of English and Writing Center director, said the new deadline is Jan. 17.

The poems will be judged by a committee of Senior Writing Fellow volunteers, said Writing Fellow Sidney Collino.

While official judging criteria is not yet in place, the committee will likely choose poems that are original, creative and representative of MCCC students.

The top three poems will be have interpretive dance choreographed by the Inside Out Dance Ensemble. The first place winner will also be featured in the Agora student newspaper.

Collino says it would be ideal for the student who wrote the poem to read it live, but due to coronavirus restrictions, it may be necessary for the poem to be recorded instead.

The dances will be recorded and posted online. Colino said the Inside Out Dance Ensemble is still working on where the videos will be available, but it is likely that they will create a YouTube channel or Facebook page to share the performances.

Students will be sent a link to view the performances when they are completed.

The goal is for the dance presentation to be finished by mid-February 2021, but this may change based on the coronavirus restrictions, Couch says.