The Booth Western Art Museum is pleased to announce the 2007-2008 Annual Georgia Youth Cowboy Poetry Contest for students in grades five through twelve. Entries are being accepted now through Feb. 1, 2008. The contest is being held in conjunction with the 5th Annual Southeastern Cowboy Gathering sponsored by the Booth Western Art Museum.

The contest is open for students throughout the state of Georgia in the following grade levels: five and six, seven and eight, and nine through twelve. Students will select from topics relative to the theme The Spirit of the American West and submit their entries to a panel of judges. The top fifteen finalists in each grade category will compete at the Booth Western Art Museum on Saturday, March 8, 2008 as part of the Cowboy Gathering. Three finalists will then return to the Booth to compete for cash prizes in the final competition on Saturday, April 19, 2008 in honor of National Cowboy Poetry Week.

"Cowboy poetry is an art form that brings out the creative side of students. It enables them to hone skills of reading, research, writing, self-expression and memorization," said Doc Stovall, entertainment and sponsorship manager at the Booth Western Art Museum. "It improves their confidence, poise and public speaking skills."

In addition to the contest, the Booth Museum will offer free cowboy poetry workshops conducted by working cowboy poets that will cover several topics including the basic structure of poems, rhyme schemes and patterns, and presentation of the poetry.

Entry applications are available online at www.boothmuseum.org. For more information on the 2007-2008 Annual Cowboy Poetry Contest, contact Doc Stovall at 770-387-1265 or DocS@boothmuseum.org.