Philip Oreste, 9, of Merrick, won First Prize for his individual poem in the Walt Whitman Birthplace Association's Twenty-Seventh Annual Poetry Contest. The contest generated approximately 4000 entries in which students grades 3-12 wrote their own original poems in the style of Whitman's "Song of the Open Road." Philip wrote about his dream of a baseball career in his poem, "My Road to my Baseball Career." Philip, in response to receiving this honor, beamed as he explained, "I'm excited about winning, and I am thankful for Walt Whitman's poetry. This has been a very rewarding experience." On June 2, 2013, Philip, who attends South Shore Montessori School on Merrick Ave., will read his poem aloud as he is honored at the Walt Whitman Birthplace in Huntington Station during a celebration of Whitman's birthday.
