Poets

Once the plane took off from Los Angeles International Airport and soared briefly over the Pacific Ocean before floating over the Rocky Mountains and into the country’s heartland, Kathryn Poet had plenty of time to reflect on what had taken place over the course of several days. So many items of interest were soaked up by Poet, who once starred for the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy softball team before moving on to compete for the University of Missouri softball program.

Gary Moskowitz BURBANK -- Barnes & Noble Booksellers is asking all Glendale students to try their hand at poetry in April. All students interested in participating in a poetry contest can submit entries until April 21. Finalists will be selected by judges from the community and will be asked to read their poems at an awards ceremony. The awards ceremony will be later this month. Grand prize winners will be awarded in elementary, middle and high school categories.

Claudia Peschiutta DOWNTOWN -- Ara Babaian wants you to know what it's like to grow up living between two cultures. Born in Iraq but raised in the U.S. and steeped in Armenian culture, the 26-year-old Glendale resident offers a glimpse of his experience through his poems, nine of which have been published in "Birthmark: A Bilingual Anthology of Armenian-American Poetry." Babaian and four other poets featured in the anthology will be reading some of their works and signing the book at the Glendale Public Library Saturday.

VAN NUYS — In no time, Kathryn Poet and Jade Terry found themselves on the diamond surrounded by stars. Make that a cast of all-stars that included the duo. Poet and Terry each played a role Wednesday afternoon in helping the East Team notch a 7-3 victory against the West Team in the San Fernando Valley Classic All-Star Game at Birmingham High. Poet, who graduated Sunday from Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, scored a key insurance run in the eighth inning and played left field for three innings in game geared for top seniors from the San Fernando, Santa Clarita, Antelope and Conejo valleys.

Alexa Capeloto GLENDALE -- Ara Oshagan remembers traveling with his father, acclaimed Armenian poet Vahe Oshagan, through the Karabagh region near Armenia last fall. Father and son were researching a book they planned to do together, with Ara taking photographs and Vahe writing the text. Ara must now publish that book alone. Vahe Oshagan, one of the best-known Armenian literary figures in modern history, died June 30 of complications from heart surgery in Philadelphia.

Tim Willert DOWNTOWN -- Award-winning poet Charles Harper Webb will appear at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Glendale Public Library, 222 E. Harvard St. Webb is a Glendale resident who teaches English at Cal State Long Beach. His poems have appeared in several journals and anthologies, including Best American Poetry and The Pushcart Prize. His latest book, "Tulip Farms and Leper Colonies," was published in November. His 1997 and 1999 books books were honored with literary prizes.

Erik Boal In an effort to keep track of local high school athletes who now compete in college, the News-Press will devote space twice a week, usually Mondays and Thursdays, to an update: Robert Curreri (Crescenta Valley, 2000) junior driver, Whittier College men's water polo -- Although the Poets have fallen on hard times lately, dropping their past five matches to fall to 1-9, Curreri remains an offensive presence for the Division III program. A 1999 News-Press All-Area first-team selection after leading the Falcons to the CIF Southern Section Division III championship match, Curreri tallied a goal in Saturday's 16-4 loss to host Cal Baptist in the Lancer Invitational in Riverside.

THE following are updates on area athletes at the collegiate level . ? Kathryn Poet (Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, 2007) sophomore outfielder, University of Missouri softball: Poet helped the Tigers, the Big-12 champs, capture the Los Angeles Super Regional at Easton Stadium on Sunday and move on to the College World Series in Oklahoma City for the first time in 14 years, where, on Thursday, they?ll face Arizona State. Missouri (50-10) picked up a lopsided 9-1 win in the deciding game of the best-of-three series against UCLA, the No. 2 seed.