Blaze (Elisha Tiggs)

Collin LaMothe

Danielle Scott

The winners of the 2008 Po-Rap-Try competition, sponsored by Etheridge Knight Festival of the Arts, are:

1.) Blaze (Elisha Tiggs), a Christian rapper.

2.) Collin LaMothe, spoken-word artist.

3.) Danielle Scott, vocalist.

Winners of the 2008 Etheridge Knight Youth Poetry Awards were also announced. They are:

Elementary Division

1.) CeVille A. Lockwood, Grade 5, Kipp Lead College Prep Charter School, Gary, Ind.

2.) Jordan Main, Grade 5, Christel House Academy, Indianapolis.

3.) Nathan Venis, Grade 5, Hattie B. Stokes Elementary, Lebanin, Ind.

Middle School Division

1.) Tori Charles, Grade 7. Shaswich Middle School, Heltonville, Ind.

2.) Kylan Williams, Lynhurst 7/8 Grade Center, Indianapolis.

3.) Roberta Smith, Lynhurst 7/8 Grade Center, Indianapolis.

Honorable mention) Colton Strawser, Grade 7, Lakeland Middle School, Wolcottville, Ind.

High School Division

1.) Jennifer Klauninger, Grade 12, Canterbury (Ontario) High School, Canada.

2.) Collin LaMothe, Cathedral High School, Indianapolis.

3.) James Schroll, Tri-County Middle Seniuor High, Remington, Ind.

The 2008 Po-Rap-Try concert was held Saturday, April 12, in the Central Library's auditorium, the first public event at the venue.

For winning the Po-Rap-Try concert, Blaze was invited by state poet laureate Joyce Brinkman to perform at the Artsgarden during a poetry reading scheduled from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. Monday, April 28. Robin Denman and Barbara Koons are the other scheduled readers.