Black Hawk College is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2021 and hosted a Student Poetry Contest as part of the celebration. All students were invited to compose a poem on the theme of “What Education Means To Me.”
Upon review of the scoring tally from the five-member judging panel, there was a tie. Rather than coming up with an idea for a tie breaker, it was decided to announce two winning poems.
Authors Zayne Olson and Joseph Smith read their poems at the 75th Anniversary Celebration on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021.
What Education Means To Me
By Zayne Olson of Cambridge, IL
East Campus student
Education is meant to be a mutual understanding
Something meant for everybody standing
An opportunity that foes can’t oppose us
This isn’t something that we can discuss
My education is just as important
My mind is just as absorbent
As the guy sitting right there
In that chair
We both know what we want to be
Give us that opportunity so that we can be free
I already know what path I want to go
My education will just help me grow
Help me become the person I want to be
Now do you all see?
That’s what education means to me
What Education Means To Me
By Joseph I. Smith of Moline, IL
Quad-Cities Campus student
What does education mean to me?
Take a listen it’s easy to see
Off into the world to make my mark
At a disadvantage without a degree
The future was looking quite dark
Desiring a life with a fulfilling career
To the bursar’s office I did steer
Google doesn’t teach you knowledge
I’m in the right place that was clear
Time to commit and finish college
Tuition was due before the first day
If not for FAFSA I couldn’t have paid
Now I walk down these halls
I’d like to just say
I must focus before my GPA falls
Nothing will stop me from graduation
Spring 2022 brings my culmination
What does education mean to me?
A better written poem that’s error free