Cherry Hill News
For 10-year-old Luisa Gonzalez, poetry is more than words on a page. It is a way to celebrate her heritage, express her creativity and share the things that make her who she is.
And now, her words are earning national recognition.
The young writer, who attended A. Russell Knight Elementary School in Cherry Hill as a fifth grader, was recently named one of the Top 10 winners in the grades four through six division of Creative Communication's national poetry contest. Her poem, "All Stitched Together," was selected from thousands of submissions by student writers across the United States.
Inspired by the colors of the Colombian flag and her identity as a Colombian American, the poem reflects Luisa's pride in her culture and the importance of embracing the different pieces that make each person unique.
"'All Stitched Together' is about really feeling the colors of the Colombian flag, and being proud of who you are, stitched together like a family is," Luisa explained.
The idea came to her as she thought about the flag's vibrant colors and how they fit together.
"Wouldn't it be a great idea to write a poem about all of those beautiful colors, and how they are stitched together perfectly?" she recalled thinking.
For Luisa, the symbolism was personal, representing the way her Colombian and American identities come together.
"Hispanic Heritage means so much to me," she said. "It means to be proud of yourself as a Hispanic, and to be YOU."
Luisa wanted her poem to capture Colombia's beauty, history and vibrancy while encouraging others to take pride in their own backgrounds.
That message resonated with judges in the national competition, which recognizes young writers for their literary merit, creativity and social significance.
When Luisa learned she had earned a place among the country's Top 10 young poets in her division, she could hardly contain her excitement.
She was getting ready for school when her mother, Lauren Gonzalez, called her downstairs with the news.
"A smile spread across my face and I jumped up and down!" Luisa recalled. "I was so glad I won top 10 because I have never won top 10 before in that contest, so I was thrilled."
The achievement was particularly meaningful because Luisa had entered the competition several times before, receiving honorable mentions but never breaking into the Top 10.
Her mother knew how much reaching that milestone meant to her.
"I was so happy for Lu because she's entered this contest a few times in the last year and has only received honorable mentions," Lauren said. "I knew it was a goal of hers to make the top ten."
Still, the recognition did not come as a complete surprise.
"That poem is beyond illustrative and beautiful," Lauren said.
A lifelong love of words
Long before she began receiving poetry awards, Luisa was already developing a passion for storytelling.
According to her mother, books have been a constant presence in her life.
"She reads all day, everyday — the second she wakes up, while brushing her teeth, eating breakfast, even in the car rides to and from soccer practices," Lauren said. "Always, always had a book in hand."
Her parents began calling reading Luisa's superpower after noticing how quickly she could make her way through books while retaining the information.
By first grade, she was already creating her own stories, folding pieces of printer paper into homemade books for a collection she called "The Brave Girl Series."
In second and third grades, her creativity expanded into songwriting.
It was those songs that eventually led her to poetry.
"I first started writing songs before I wrote poems!" Luisa explained. "Once my aunt remarked I would be a great poet after reading my songs, I decided to write poetry as well as songs."
Some of her favorite songs later became inspiration for poems.
Recognizing her talent, her parents encouraged her to enter local poetry competitions and online contests. They also introduced her to opportunities to share her writing at open mic nights at Inkwood Books in Haddonfield.
Today, Luisa finds inspiration in everything around her, particularly her own experiences and the things she loves.
"I usually write poems all about me, myself, and I or the things I love most," she said, adding that she wants each piece to reflect her own unique voice.
Her literary influences include Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou, whose poetry she admires for its beauty and significance. She also draws inspiration from songwriters, including Dolly Parton, and from the imaginative world of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books.
At home, her mother and father, Francisco, remain her biggest supporters.
"They are always full of positive feedback," Luisa said. "They also push me to try hard by using a positive mindset."
Celebrating two cultures
For the Gonzalez family, maintaining a connection to their Colombian roots is an important part of everyday life.
The family visits Colombia every other year, where Luisa's grandparents still live. Throughout the year, she stays connected with them virtually, and they also visit the family in the United States.
Francisco speaks Spanish to the children at home, while Luisa and one of her younger brothers take Spanish classes locally.
Lauren said the family makes an effort to provide opportunities for their children to experience and appreciate their heritage.
Seeing Luisa turn that connection into poetry was especially meaningful.
"It was an honor to see her express herself as a Colombian American through all of the visuals in her poem!" Lauren said.
As the oldest of four children, with three younger brothers, Luisa also finds comfort in the quiet, imaginative world of books and writing.
Lauren recalled one particularly special moment when Luisa was working on "All Stitched Together."
"She asked if we could go on a sushi date with the laptop and she wanted to share her newest poems," Lauren said.
Those moments have given her mother a glimpse into the way Luisa sees the world.
"She has this beautiful outlook on the world. She loves finding common ground," Lauren said. "She has a way of noticing little things and turning them into something meaningful. I think that's one of the things that makes her writing so uniquely hers."
Finding her voice beyond the page
Luisa's writing accomplishments have also opened doors for her to share her poetry with audiences.
She has performed at community events, including Collingswood's Hispanic Heritage Festival, and participated in activities associated with the Collingswood Book Festival.
Although she now enjoys sharing her work publicly, stepping in front of an audience initially came with some nerves.
"Yes, I was very nervous!" Luisa admitted. "I was so afraid I would mess up, especially because I read one of the poems in Spanish."
But the experience turned out to be a positive one.
"I love hearing people clap and cheer for me because I love when people like what I create for everyone to hear," she said.
For Luisa, performing is another opportunity to connect with the words she has written.
"When I share my poetry, I feel connected and 'stitched together' to the words I am using," she said. "I feel like I am completing a goal and soaring high in the sky, trying my hardest to do what I love."
Her growing confidence has been evident to her family.
Luisa also earned first place in Collingswood's Youth Poetry Contest, another accomplishment that left her feeling proud of the work she had put into her writing.
Lauren recalled that when Luisa won first place in the contest last year, she initially wanted to keep the achievement private from her school.
This year, however, she decided to share her success with her principal, who has since encouraged her through emails and video messages.
That change has been particularly rewarding for her mother to witness.
"It's been so exciting watching her confidence grow," Lauren said. "She's an excellent public speaker and it's so impressive and heartwarming to watch her speak her words."
For Lauren, the most inspiring part of Luisa's journey goes beyond the awards or recognition.
"She's not just finding her voice as a writer, she's finding her voice as a person," she said.
A future filled with possibilities
With national recognition, local poetry honors and public performances already among her accomplishments, Luisa has plenty of dreams for the future.
She hopes to become a teacher, poet and author, combining her love of storytelling with a desire to inspire others.
"I would love to encourage others to stay curious," she said.
Her parents hope to continue nurturing that enthusiasm by providing opportunities to explore her creativity while reminding her that her words have value regardless of whether they earn an award.
"As her parents, we want to nurture that by giving her plenty of opportunities while making sure she always knows that her voice matters, whether she wins an award or simply writes something that makes her proud," Lauren said.
"She's always loved writing, but she's starting to really believe that what she has to say is worth hearing."
For Luisa, the recognition has reinforced something she hopes other young people will discover for themselves: the importance of embracing their individuality and being proud of where they come from.
"Knowing my poem stood out among so many entries from across the United States really made me feel proud of myself, proud of my culture, proud of who I am," she said.
And although she is only 10, Luisa already knows that writing will remain part of her life.
"Poetry will always play a role in who I am, my culture, my name, and all the wonderful, fantastic, one-of-a-kind things about me," she said.
"I feel all stitched together to my poetry and the comforting sound of how I read them and write them."
