# 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 free; 10 can be done online. ## Programs (18 total) | Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [National Student Poets Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-student-poets-program) | Institute of Museum and Library Services | Free | hybrid | Grades 10–11 | 2026-08-01 | | [River of Words Environmental Poetry & Art Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/river-of-words-environmental-poetry-art-contest) | Library of Congress | Free | virtual | Grades 5–12 | 2027-01-31 | | [Iowa Young Writers' Studio](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/iowa-young-writers-studio) | University of Iowa | $2,400 | hybrid | Grades 10–12 | 2027-02-01 | | [Juniper Institute for Young Writers](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/juniper-institute-for-young-writers) | University of Massachusetts Amherst | $2,600 | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-01 | | [National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-poetry-writing-month) | Maureen Thorson / NaPoWriMo.net | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [The Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/the-adroit-journal-summer-mentorship-program) | The Adroit Journal | $450 | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-10 | | [Bennington Young Writers Awards](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/bennington-young-writers-awards) | Bennington College | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-01 | | [Richard Wilbur Poetry Award](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/richard-wilbur-award) | University of Maine at Farmington | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/youth-speaks-spoken-word-slam-poetry) | Youth Speaks | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/kenyon-review-young-writers-workshop) | Kenyon Review | $2,800 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2027-03-01 | | [River of Words Environmental Poetry and Art Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/river-of-words-contest) | ROW | Free | virtual | Grades 5–12 | 2027-01-31 | | [National Youth Poet Laureate](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-youth-poet-laureate) | Urban Word | Free | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2026-11-30 | | [Bard College Young Writers Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/bard-college-young-writers-program) | Bard College | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/patricia-grodd-poetry-prize) | The Kenyon Review | Free | virtual | Grades 10–11 | 2026-11-30 | | [Stone Soup](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/stone-soup-magazine) | Children's Art Foundation - Stone Soup | Not listed | virtual | Grades 6–12 | Rolling | | [The Adroit Prizes for Poetry & Prose](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/the-adroit-prizes-for-poetry-prose) | The Adroit Journal | $15 | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-01 | | [Anthologise Poetry Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/anthologise-poetry-competition) | University of Cambridge Faculty of Education | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nancy-thorp-poetry-contest) | Hollins University | Not listed | virtual | Grades 10–11 | 2026-10-31 | ## Frequently asked questions ### How many poetry programs are listed for high school students? ExtracurricularHub currently lists 18 verified poetry opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. ### Are any of these poetry programs free? Yes — 11 of the programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Free programs are often funded and can be more selective, so apply early. ### Which deadlines are coming up soonest? The next deadlines: National Student Poets Program (August 1, 2026); Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest (October 31, 2026); Bennington Young Writers Awards (November 1, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site. ### Do poetry extracurriculars help with college admissions? Yes — sustained, escalating involvement in poetry (participation → awards or leadership → independent work) reads far stronger than scattered one-off activities. Pick one or two programs from this page and go deep. ## Related pages - [Writing Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/writing) - [Essay Contests & Writing Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/essay-contests) - [Arts for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/arts) - [Free for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/free) - [Browse all extracurriculars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars) - [Find My Fit — 3-minute matching quiz](https://extracurricularhub.com/find-my-fit) --- Canonical page: https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/poetry Source: ExtracurricularHub (https://extracurricularhub.com) — a free directory of 1,826 verified extracurricular programs for high school students. Cite the canonical page above; always confirm binding details on each program's official site.