Local boy wins pet poetry contest
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POLSON — “This is my first poem,” Zack Mathias said.
It’s a good poem, too. The Montana Veterinary Medicine Auxiliary chose Zack’s poem as a winner in the fourth grade division of its poem and essay contest. Zack won a $100 savings bond.
The topic for the contest was Save A Life — Adopt a Pet. The poem had to be not less than 20 words and no more than 200.
Zack’s poem reads:
“People are getting bored without a buddy, So you should adopt a pet and you’ll think he will be funny. So you will never be bored, and you’ll think he is number one. And He will think you’re a ton of fun.”
Zack’s teacher, Carolyn Hall, keeps a file of contests students can enter, everything from art to poems to stories. Hall tells the kids about the contests and they can work on entries during free time.
Although Zack had never written a poem, he did have pets, two dogs, three cats and one bird. Zack also liked his animals a lot.
The son of Cheryl Mathias and Wain Lefthand, Zack always attended Polson schools and rides the school bus in from Elmo every day, a trip which takes about 30 minutes.
The best thing about living in Elmo, according to Zack, is there is no one who could hurt you or boss you around. Plus Elmo is pretty. Several of Zack’s friends have moved away, one to Mission, and he'll miss them this summer because they all used to go swimming together.
Zack’s favorite subjects in school are math and reading. Zack likes to read chapter books.
“I just read any kind of chapter book,” Zack said with a shrug.
Zack really hadn’t given much thought to what he might like to do when he gets older. Maybe he’ll be a writer.
