Ninth Grader Wins Local Poetry Contest

Katie Phan ’28 won first place in the Tom Lee Poetry & Spoken Word Contest.
The Memphis River Parks Partnership celebrated Katie at a special ceremony that also marked 100 years since Tom Lee’s heroic actions saved more than 30 drowning passengers from a capsized steamboat. 

Katie won for her poem called “What Kills a Wife.” Students were not required to write about Lee, but the competition has a 40-line limit and encourages poets to think in broader terms. Katie had the incredible opportunity to read her poem in front of Lee's descendants. Daily Memphian wrote about her award-winning piece and the ceremony.


“I think the biggest part that I wanted to include was his courage,” Katie said to the Daily Memphian. “It was realizing that through words, you can stand up to these things that are happening... I think it is just realizing you can make a difference.”

A talented writer, Katie has won three Gold Keys in the Mid-South Scholastic Writing Awards, including one she earned as an eighth grader in the competition.

“Katie is the most humble writer I have ever met, and she has a massive talent for showcasing very complex emotions in a truly poetic way,” said English and creative writing teacher Jenna Morgan. “She exudes excellence in all she does, yet never seeks out recognition for it. Excellence is just the baseline of where she operates. She will undoubtedly continue to earn accolades from her powerful words!”
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Memphis, Tennessee 38119
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Hutchison is the leading private girls school in Memphis for ages 2 years old through twelfth grade.