The Fred Brooks Garden Club is proud to announce the State Poetry Winner in sixth grade and the State Sculpture Winner in seventh grade. The contest is sponsored by the National Garden Club, Inc.
Representing sixth grade in the Poetry Division for West Virginia is Payton Wilt. Dominic DiStefano won the seventh-grade state sculpture contest. Both students’ impressive work will now advance to the National Garden Club for judging.
Payton’s poem is titled Garden Fun! The poetry theme for 2025 was My Garden Has Vegetables That I Can Share – Helping Hunger by Sharing Vegetables From Our Garden. Payton attends Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School. Her parents are Josh and Kristin Wilt.
The youth sculpture content encourages youth to keep our planet green. Dominic’s sculpture depicted a brightly colored healthy fish from clean water. His sculpture used recycled material.
Dominic’s fish was designed using a plastic bottle covered in colorful aluminum can scales and fins placed on a cardboard base. Dominic worked on his sculpture during his art class with Mrs. Sherri Butler at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School. His parents are Sam and Erin DiStefano.
Congratulations to Payton and Dominic on their impressive achievements.
Garden Fun!
In the garden, dirt and sun
Planting seeds to share is so much fun!
Digging holes and patting them down,
Waiting for green to come around
With sprout and leafy friends
The garden grows, so hunger ends.
We laugh and learn as we dig and plant,
In our little patch, we love to chant!
