Commending Fatemeh Sima Amiri upon the occasion of winning the inaugural New York State of Poetry prize

Senate Resolution No. 1999

BY: Senator ASHBY

        COMMENDING Fatemeh Sima Amiri upon the occasion of
        winning the inaugural New York State of Poetry prize

  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to commend and pay
tribute  to  those young people who, by achieving outstanding success in
educational competition, have inspired and brought pride to  this  great
Empire State; and

  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to
commend  Fatemeh  Sima  Amiri upon the occasion of winning the inaugural
New York State of Poetry prize; and

  WHEREAS, New York State of Poetry is a new program  created  by  the
New  York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the Teachers and Writers
Collaborative to engage high school students across New York State  with
the art of poetry; and

  WHEREAS,  Students  across  New  York State were invited to read and
write poems with a chance to be published in a statewide  anthology  and
read their poems at National Poetry Month readings; and

  WHEREAS,  The  New York State of Poetry welcomed over 5,000 students
from 59 high schools across every region of  New  York  State  into  the
craft of poetry: reading great poems and writing original works; and

  WHEREAS, The winning poem, "Third Apartment," by Fatemeh Sima Amiri,
a 10th grade student at Shaker High School in Albany County, stood apart
from  the  thirty-three  poems  that  were submitted and celebrated with
readings at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City  on  Saturday,  April
18, 2026; and

  WHEREAS,  Fatemeh  Sima  Amiri  will be reading her piece at the New
York State Museum in Albany, New York on Saturday, May  16,  2026  at  2
p.m.; and

  WHEREAS, Poised eagerly with enthusiasm and determined purpose, this
scholar now stands honorably, with just pride in her accomplishments and
in   eager   anticipation   of   future  challenges,  understanding  and
appreciating the caring counsel and support provided by her teachers and
parents; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
commend  Fatemeh  Sima  Amiri upon the occasion of winning the inaugural
New York State of Poetry prize; and be it further

  RESOLVED, That a copy of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted to Fatemeh Sima Amiri.