Pass High Students Earn Statewide Honors in Mississippi Poetry Project
Two Pass Christian High School students are earning recognition across Mississippi for their powerful poetic voices after receiving top honors in this year’s Mississippi Poetry Project, a statewide writing initiative that celebrates student creativity and self-expression.
Last fall, Mississippi’s Poet Laureate invited students across the state to participate, encouraging teachers and administrators to help young writers discover the power of poetry. In the Laureate’s words, “The goal of the Mississippi Poetry Project is to help students experience the joy and accomplishment that can come from writing poetry, and from sharing their own voices, words, and experiences… Poetry is for everyone. There’s no wrong way to write a poem, and words can be a tremendous source of delight, play, and comfort.”
The Mississippi Poetry Project welcomes students in grades K–12. Each participating school selects three winning poems per grade to advance to the statewide competition. Schoolwide winners are published in a contest anthology, while statewide honorees are invited to share their work at a special reading and celebration.
This year’s prompt, “Writing About Nature: A Place I Love (or, A Place I Hate),” challenged students to reflect on meaningful outdoor experiences and transform those memories into poetry.
At Pass High, English teachers rallied students from freshman through senior year to participate. After reviewing dozens of submissions, teachers carefully selected the top three poems from each grade to represent the school.
When the statewide results were announced, two Pirate poets stood out.
Sophomore Trinity Langlinais earned first place for tenth grade with her poem “The Storm,” a moving piece that explores a young girl navigating the emotional storms of life while finding solace beside a lake. The poem evolved through weeks of drafting and revision, growing from an assignment in Mrs. Butler’s English II class into a deeply personal and polished work. Her dedication to the writing process paid off, resulting in a poem that resonated strongly with judges.
Senior Nick Piernas received a twelfth grade honorable mention for his poem “Pass Christian,” a heartfelt reflection on the city during and after Hurricane Katrina. Drawing inspiration from family stories about the destruction and recovery of the community, his poem captures both the scars left on the landscape and the enduring hope of its residents. His work honors the resilience that defines Pass Christian.
Pass High is incredibly proud of these talented students, whose words showcase not only their individual voices but also the strength of the school’s commitment to creativity and academic excellence. Their achievements highlight the power of storytelling and remind us that poetry can connect personal experiences to a broader community.
These Pirate poets continue to prove that the Pirate Nation is truly unstoppable.
Tenth Grade First Place Winning Poem:
The Storm
By Trinity Langlinais
The lake used to be my favorite place,
trees;
I can hear them whisper calmly,
and the water held the sky like glass.
Now that place that held me tight-reminds me of him.
The fragile night – he came home angry,
the storm rolled in toolightning split the sky with a fracturing crack,
his voice corresponds.
Rain pounded hard on the windows,
like his fist on the table.
Thunder shook the broken walls,
I run to get him out of my head trying to make it better,
pretending it was just the stormy weather.
The power quits,
the air calms,
the smell of whiskey,
blends with the dead smells of rain,
it no longer could be maintained.
The next broken morning the lake was brownmud swirled around where blue used to be.
He always returned with a “sorry” and “please”,
but the calm water hides his underneath.
Now when clouds creep together,
there’s a sense of fear that leaves me with panic.
I feel that same fear, that same waiting,
for something to break.
The storm always passes,
but it never fails to roll back around.
Twelfth Grade Honorable Mention Poem:
Pass Christian
By Nick Piernas
The Gulf hums low before the storm,
a hymn the shoreline seems to know.
Windows boarded, candles lit
faith steady where the waters flow.
Still, someone says, “ We’ll make it through”
because even fear needs something true.
Love here wears salt upon its skinit’’s loss and light, and kin of kin
It’s “ We’ve rebuilt once, we’ll do it again,”
the voice of saints and working men.
The men may tear, the tides may claim,
but hearts in Pass still speak the same.
The storm rolls in with Holy fire,
testing what won’t break or tire.
Porches gone, but laughter says,
Ghosts of music in the bay.
Desperation fades to grace,
and hope returns to take its place.
Then Sunlight spills on streets reborn
a city mended, weather worn.
Brick by brick, we find out wayfaith and love- the price we pay.
For no storm can drown what’s in our hand,
The soul of Pass Christian
