Sotheby’s Art Auction brings 7th Grade Poetry Foundation $70,000

March 15, 2013 - PRLog -- Sotheby’s New York auctioned a prized piece of Polish contemporary art by Wojciech Fangor on March 7th to benefit the St. Louis-based 7th Grade Poetry Foundation (http://7thgradepoetry.org/).  This marked what may have been the first time a Sotheby’s auction has aided a poetry charity.  Proceeds from the painting’s $47,500 sale price netted approximately $35,000. Art donor and St. Louis businessman Aaron Williams will match that value, bringing the Foundation approximately $70,000. (To see the Fangor painting, visit Sotheby’s online auction catalogue link (http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2013/contemporary-art-n08967/lot.451.lotnum.html).)

In addition to his donation of art and matching funds, Williams also serves as the Founder and Champion of The 7th Grade Poetry Foundation.  He hopes that others will be inspired by his personal commitment to the Foundation’s cause and choose to make their own charitable donation.  “According to the Harvard Business Review blog, two of the top skills that businesses are looking for in employees are creative thinking and succinctly making a point.  This is what writing poetry trains you to do,” said Williams.  “With statistics showing severely deficient writing and literacy skills in our youth, the Foundation’s mission is to create a writing revolution by giving all students the chance to have their poetic voices celebrated.”

The 7th Grade Poetry Foundation collaborates with educators to improve academic outcomes, and unites families and communities through an enhanced appreciation of poetry.  To carry out its mission, the charity sponsors a school-based poetry writing contest for students in the 7th grade — the year schools are required to teach poetry as part of the Common Core State Standard Initiative. The 2013 program has 92 participating schools in seven states (MO, IL, NM, SD, NY, AR, TX).  Winning students will read their poems before a live audience at the April 17th event in St. Louis (to be broadcast online), have their poems published in an anthology donated to schools and public libraries, and receive a cash prize.  Videos of past winners reading their poems are archived on the Foundation’s site (http://7thgradepoetry.org/poems).

The April 17th awards ceremony will be held at the St. Louis Public Library’s restored and renewed Central Library in Downtown St. Louis.  “The Library is delighted to host 7GP. Though these poets are only in 7th grade, they have strong messages to share.  Anyone who comes to listen will be wowed by the depth of feeling, as well as their use of sophisticated poetic styles,” said Patty Carleton, Director of Your Services for the St. Louis Public Library.  Although not open to the public, the Foundation will broadcast the entire event live online.

To read more about The 7th Grade Poetry Foundation, make a donation, or register your school’s 7th grade for the 2013-2014 contest, visit http://7thgradepoetry.org.