Sadie Allen, an eighth grader at Polk County Middle School, won an honorable mention for the Carl Sandburg Poetry Contest in the 6-8th grade category. Students were encouraged to write a poem about their backyards, and Sadie was honored for her poem “Midnight.” Sadie read her poem at an awards benefit at Blue Ridge Community College, and her poem is on display at the home as well as on the Carl Sandburg home website.