Fr. Paschal Poetry Contest Winners Announced

Fr. Paschal Varnskuyler taught English at Roger Bacon in the 1950s and 1960s. To honor him, the English Department holds an annual poetry contest to encourage and remember the passion and excitement for poetry that Fr. Paschal instilled in his students.

The winners of this year’s Fr. Paschal Poetry Contest were carefully selected by a diverse committee of teachers representing all academic departments. The selected pieces stood out for their originality, depth, and artistry, showcasing the remarkable talent of our student poets. We commend these students for their exceptional work and thank all participants for sharing their creativity.

Congratulations to our winners:

9th / 10th Grade:

1. Lucas Mantovani '28 – "Black Spiders"
2. Maggie McCormick '27 – "The Loneliness of Saturn"
3. Karis Stoxen '27 – "Springtime Hope"

11th / 12th Grade:

1. Alisa King '25 – "Reagan's Hell, VA"
2. Claire Evans '25 – "Sirens Song"
3. Didi Orji '26 – "First Snow Day"