'Incredible Talent' Recognized As Dayton Avenue School Students Awarded For Poetry

EASTPORT-SOUTH MANOR, NY — Young writers were awarded for their burgeoning talent recently: Dayton Avenue School and library media specialist Cheryl Skidmore announced that the poetry of students Addison Ebright, Ryan Fabian, Kaylee Larson, Isla Norris and Gabby Rodriguez were selected for inclusion in the 2026 Young American Poetry Digest.

And that's not all: The library media center also received a $100 award from the Digest for its "outstanding commitment to fostering writing and creativity among students," the district said.

The award underscores the library media center’s supportive environment for aspiring young writers, the district said.

There were more than 200 submissions from 10 schools across the nation — with Dayton Avenue having the most submissions from any one school, district officials said.

The recognition highlights the "incredible talent and hard work" of the school’s young authors, the district added.

The students’ poems include “Football” (Ryan), “Beach” (Kaylee), “My Dog” (Isla), “Flowers” (Gabby) and “Violin” (Addison); the poems reflect "a wide range of themes and emotions," district officials said.

Students and staff are being encouraged to explore the published works and find inspiration in their peers’ creativity, the district said.

Ms. Skidmore congratulated the students: "Your passion for writing deserves to have been recognized and we are excited to continue nurturing your talents in the future. This is truly exciting for Dayton Avenue School."