By Cory Bilicko
Managing Copy Editor
Fifth grader Phoebe Hao from Buffum Elementary was a runner-up with her original poem entitled “Haute Dog” at the Fifth Annual Haute Dog Poetry Contest last Saturday at Belmont Shore’s three-acre, off-leash dog beach, the only one of its kind in Los Angeles County.
The only requirement for the contest, part of the Long Beach Poetry Festival, was that the poems be dog-themed or contain some mention of a dog. The poems ranged from how lovable the poets’ dogs are to the grief experienced when one loses a beloved canine.
The event was organized by Justin Rudd (pictured right) and his Community Action Team (CAT).
Other winners included Gary Perlberg and fifth grader Jesse Yuth.
