Nicholas Goyette-

Born in Biloxi, Mississippi, Nick is 14 years old and his hobbies are drawing, painting, and playing video games. He is in 9th grade, on the honor roll, and member of the soccer and football teams. He is a certified soccer referee and was named Youth Referee of the Year in 2007. In the fall of 2005 Nick’s poem entitled “Dragon Fleeing From This Earth” was published in “A Celebration of Young Poets - South”. Nick wrote and illustrated a book titled “Nobody is Perfect” which was published in 2006. Nick was the 3rd Arts Olympiad winner from Mississippi and the Mississippi delegate to the 2007 World Children’s Festival. In August of 2005 Nick and his family suffered the loss of their home in Hurricane Katrina, and Nick lost all the things he had collected in his life. His family moved to a small travel trailer in which they lived for 2½ years. There was no room in the trailer for him to play and the daily routines he was accustomed to had to be altered. Trying to prepare meals was a chore as the stove located in the trailer had only a burner and a micro-fridge. Through this Nicholas earned a new respect for children that are living in less developed countries. As rainstorms would come and go, more dirt was washed away, exposing items that were once in his home. For months it was a treasure hunt for him, walking his dog and finding new items that used to be his own. Nick had to overcome the mental effects of this devastation through his artwork, writing and athletics. He has learned to focus his negative energies into positives but the trauma of Katrina will always be a part of him.