River of Words Kids Art and Poetry

Each spring, River of Words (RoW) serves up a refreshing tonic: sparkling poetry and art by kids about their ecological address. The idea for RoW—learning about local ecosystems and building communities to work together within watersheds—was hatched in 1995 by former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass, Berkeley writer Pamela Michael, and Bay Area educators, poets, and activists. Since then, RoW has sponsored an annual poetry and art contest for kids from all over the world, from kindergarten through 12th grade, who explore the watershed in which they live and then express what they have observed and felt in word and image. On Saturday, April 13, RoW will announce the winners of its seventh annual Youth Environmental Poetry & Art Contest at a free family-oriented celebration from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. at the San Francisco Main Library (Grove and Larkin). Bay Nature publisher Malcolm Margolin will emcee the event (510-548-7636 or www.riverofwords.org).