Ashlyn Dinger, a fourth grader at May Overby Elementary in Aberdeen, S.D. took first place in POET’s annual POET Tree contest as part of “South Dakota Road Trip” curriculum.

Students who took part in the South Dakota Road Trip submitted nature-themed poems in recognition of Arbor Day and National Poetry Month, which is April. Dinger’s poem, titled “Aqua Blue,” celebrates the sights, sounds, smell and feel of the beach.

Dinger will receive a $100 Visa gift card. All five finalists will have their poems featured in the July issue of Vital magazine. Students in many POET plant communities are also submitting poems in a separate competition.

All of this year’s finalists are fourth graders. Final results for the South Dakota POET Tree contest are: 1st place: Ashlyn Dinger; May Overby Elementary, Aberdeen ($100 Visa gift card) 2nd place: Carson Schmidt; Wilmot Elementary, Wilmot ($75 Visa gift card) 3rd place: Daniel Esche; Lawrence Elementary, Canton ($50 Visa gift card) 4th place: Halee Gries; Lawrence Elementary, Canton ($35 Visa gift card) 5th place: Regan Stoick; Mobridge-Pollock Elementary, Mobridge ($25 Visa gift card)

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AQUA BLUE by Ashlyn Dinger

Listening to the crashing waves, tanning on the sunny beach, brightness of the crystal blue sky, running free, feeling free, being free...

That's the Aqua Blue.

Looking out and seeing the dolphin fins, watching them jump - what a sight! The smell of the salty sea, stepping on the hidden sea shells...

That's the Aqua Blue.

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About POET

POET, one of the world’s largest ethanol producers, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 25-year-old company has a production capacity in excess of 1.6 billion gallons of ethanol and 9 billion pounds of high-protein animal feed annually from its network of 27 production facilities. POET also operates a pilot-scale cellulosic bio-ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs, leaves, husk and some stalk as feedstock, and expects to commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa through its joint venture with DSM. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com.