2026 Youth Poetry Writing Contest: Early Elementary and Tween

Early Elementary Winner: “Katherine Johnson Diamante” by Lydia Steaban (age 7)

KATHERINE

Smart, Careful

Working, Adding, Subtracting

NASA, Computer, Mother, Hero

Progressing, Questioning, Teaching

Stubborn, Curious

JOHNSON

Early Elementary Honorable Mention: “Go Rose!” by Effie (age 8)

(Written about the U.S. women's soccer player Rose Lavelle)

Rose dribbles down the field.

Look at that fancy footwork.

Rose makes an amazing pass!

Look at that perfect corner kick.

A great pass to Rose.

Boom!

Straight in the goal!

Rose’s favorite fan, her dog, Wilma, barks with joy!

Tween Winner: “Spring” by Bracha S. (age 13)

Spring mornings start with a sunrise that lights up the sky

Petunias line the wooded path, and on one I see a butterfly

Rustling leaves tell me there’s a squirrel in the trees

Ice melts off the ground with ease

New grass grows for the spring is near

Goodbye winter, spring is here

Tween Honorable Mention: “Soaring Butterfly” by Ayelet S. (age 13)

Deep beneath the light blue sky I fly, I’m a butterfly.

Down and down to earth I go to sip sweet nectar amidst the flower

garden below. Petunias, dahlias, poppies galore down, down, down to

the ground I soar amidst the shore down on the sunlit garden floor.