Poetry Contests & Programs for High School Students

From Poetry Out Loud's recitation stages to national youth poetry awards, poetry offers more recognition per hour of focused work than almost any art form.

Published and awarded poems compound: two or three credits build the track record that selective writing programs and English departments actually read.

18 verified programs match this page; 11 of the featured listings are completely free; 10 can be done online.

Featured programs

Browse 18+ curated programs for high school students:

• National Student Poets Program — Institute of Museum and Library Services: Prestigious poetry competition for 10th-11th graders. Become a literary ambassador, gain recognition, and build creative writing skills for college an
• River of Words Environmental Poetry & Art Contest — Library of Congress: Environmental poetry and art competition for K-12 students.
• Iowa Young Writers' Studio — University of Iowa: Selective summer program for high school writers in grades 10-12. Develop skills in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction while enhancing college a
• Juniper Institute for Young Writers — University of Massachusetts Amherst: Elevate your writing skills in this hybrid summer program for high schoolers. Engage in poetry and fiction workshops, build your portfolio, and boost
• National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo) — Maureen Thorson / NaPoWriMo.net: A month‑long, online poetry writing challenge each April inviting writers worldwide to draft a poem a day.
• The Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program — The Adroit Journal: Selective summer program for high school writers offering personalized mentorship in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Build writing skills for college
• Bennington Young Writers Awards — Bennington College: Win $1,000 in this national writing competition for high school students. Develop your creative skills, boost college applications, and get your work
• Richard Wilbur Poetry Award — University of Maine at Farmington: An annual poetry award honoring Richard Wilbur, recognizing outstanding unpublished poems submitted for consideration.
• Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam — Youth Speaks: National slam poetry organization connecting high school students through spoken word performance, workshops, and the annual Brave New Voices internat
• Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop — Kenyon Review: Transform your writing skills at a summer program for high schoolers. Join acclaimed authors for hands-on workshops in poetry and fiction—perfect for
• River of Words Environmental Poetry and Art Contest — ROW: Celebrate nature through poetry and art in this free environmental competition for grades 5-12. Boost creative skills and enhance college applications
• National Youth Poet Laureate — Urban Word: Highest honor for teen poets in America. Laureates represent youth poetry nationally, including events at Library of Congress.
• Bard College Young Writers Program — Bard College: Pre-college program at Bard College for high school students focusing on writing.
• Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers — The Kenyon Review: Free annual poetry prize from The Kenyon Review for high school sophomores and juniors; the winner is published in the magazine and receives a full sc
• Stone Soup — Children's Art Foundation - Stone Soup: Literary magazine publishing exceptional stories, poems, memoir, and art by young people since 1973. Writers age 18 or younger submit year-round throu
• The Adroit Prizes for Poetry & Prose — The Adroit Journal: Esteemed writing competition for high school students in grades 9-12. Hone poetry and prose skills, boost college applications, and gain recognition f
• Anthologise Poetry Competition — University of Cambridge Faculty of Education: A UK-wide poetry anthology competition for secondary school students, encouraging creative reading and curation of contemporary poetry.
• Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest — Hollins University: Hollins University's 63rd annual poetry contest for young women in their sophomore or junior year of high school; winners earn cash, publication in Ca

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