Poetry Society of Tennessee (PST) is pleased to announce the winners of our 2022 student contests.

About the Contest

The contest divisions were as follows:

High School Division (Grades 9-12) Free Verse Poem
​Middle School Division (Grades 6-8) Free Verse Poem
Elementary Division (Grades 2-5) Any Poem Form

The competition was open all Tennessee students in grades 2-12 (public, private, and home school students and to PST student members from any state. Student submitted a single poem for consideration.

Contest awards for each division are as follows:  1st place $25, 2nd $20, 3rd $15, 4th $10, and 5th $5. In addition, top winning poems will be published in a forthcoming edition of PST’s anthology, Tennessee Voices.

High School Division Results

Prizes

1. “The Story of Us” by Angelene Sta. Cruz, Concord Academy, Memphis
2. “elegy for the orange market” by Addyson Owens, West Ridge High, Blountville
3. “[come up with a better title later]” by Kate Rutherford, Houston County High, Erin
4. “ROYGBIV” by Sammy Smith, West Ridge High, Blountville 
5. “Let Me Tell You Why I Seem Optimistic, But Really, I Am Uneasy” by Angela Jefferson, Cascade High, Bell Buckle

Honorable Mentions

• “Thank You” by Keri Cochran, West Ridge High, Blountville
• “Beauty in Command” by Tanner Gross, West Ridge High, Blountville
• “Decaying Beauty” by Kaelyn Kelly, Houston County High, Erin
• “Stop Stargazing” by Kensley Boone, Houston County High, Erin
• “Skywatcher” by Carolina Richardson, Houston County High, Erin
• “Once, I Climbed a Tree” by Heidi Laramy, Madison Academic High, Jackson 
• “The Fight” by Mia Campochiaro, Concord Academy, Memphis
• “eulogy from the dead” by Frankie Bond, Houston County High, Erin
• ”Beneath the Faerie Circle” by Riley Rutherford, Houston County High, Erin

Many thanks to poet, author, and educator Connie Jordan Green, who served as judge for this division.

Middle School Division Results

Prizes

1. “Where I’m From” by Quinn Alderman, Holy Trinity Montessori, Nashville
2. “Theseus and Aegeus” by Harrison Nickele, Woodland Presbyterian School, Memphis
3. “They See” by Loara Coleman, Ivy Academy, Soddy Daisy 
4. “What Fall Means to Me” by Emmaline Strong, Saint Henry School, Nashville 
5. (tie) “Thanksgiving” by Hayes Dombroski, Woodland Presbyterian School, Memphis, and “Summer on Glass Lake” by Jack Moran, Holy Trinity Montessori, Nashville

Honorable Mentions

• “Freefall” by Libby Link, Woodland Presbyterian School, Memphis
• “Fall” by Marin Colley, Saint Henry School, Nashville
• “Jellyfish” by Ilyssa Tilley, Ocoee Middle School, Cleveland
• “My Crystal Light” by Sarah Burton, Saint Henry Middle School, Nashville
• “The Ironic Poem” by Zac Sayer, Woodland Presbyterian School, Memphis
• “Sick” by Isabella McAuley, Saint Henry School, Nashville
• “Cold Winter” by Trenton Brumfield, Ivy Academy, Soddy Daisy
• “Birds Will Remain” by Oneira Caviness, White Station Middle School, Memphis
• “The Art of Lying” by Abby Albonetti, Woodland Presbyterian School, Memphis
• “Xena” by Gracie Lirette, Woodland Presbyterian School, Memphis

Many thanks to poet, author and educator Heather Hoover, who served as judge for this division.

Elementary Division Results

Prizes

1. “Dear Poem” by Nickie Downey, Holy Trinity Montessori, Nashville
2. “The World” by Braelynn Taylor, Bradford Elementary, Bradford
3. “Beach” by Morgan Cushing, Columbia Academy, Columbia
4. “Hermosa Mariposa / Beautiful Butterfly” by Mary Karis Parrman, St. Peter’s Episcopal, Chattanooga
5. “La Naturaleza / Nature” by Kylee Kemmet, St. Peter’s Episcopal, Chattanooga

Honorable Mentions

• “Peluches” by Sara Garcia, St. Peter’s Episcopal School, Chattanooga
• “Honguito / Mushrooms” by Isla Phillips, St. Peter’s Episcopal School, Chattanooga 
• “A Savannah Afternoon” by Kylee Huskey, Covenant Academy, McMinnville
• “Stick with Me” by Duke Sims, Prospect Elementary, Cleveland
• “Sunrise Haiku” by Cora Belle Pulley, Columbia Academy, Columbia
• “Calendars” by Chloe Zebell, Holy Trinity Montessori, Nashville
• “I Miss You” by Tucker Winfield, Holy Trinity Montessori, Nashville
• “The Pesky Fly” by Adelyn Bradford, Bradford Elementary, Bradford
• “Long Walk to God” by Olivia Ford, Briarcrest Christian, Eads
• “As the Seasons Fade” by Ellee Griffin, Briarcrest Christian, Eads
• “One Shot” by John Garcia, Briarcrest Christian, Eads
• “Seasons” by Jeffrey G. Dean, Briarcrest Christian, Eads
• “Seasons Fleeting” by L. J. Longo, Briarcrest Christian, Eads

Many thanks to poet, author and educator Isabel Sobrino Gómez, who served as judge for this division.

PST Student Membership

Know a high school aged student interested in poetry? Give the gift of membership in Poetry Society of Tennessee! At just $10 a year, it’s an incredible value. Get membership information.