"With Honors" 2026 National Student Poetry Contest
(Original Submission Deadline of April 30, 2026) - Winners Announced September 30, 2026.

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Click here to read the poems by the Division Winners (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place)

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Division I

(grades 3-5)​

 

Division Winner – Davis Domingo
2nd Place – Haven Solomon
3rd Place – Dylan Walker 

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Division II

(grades 6-7)​

 

Division Winner – Sophia Sartory
2nd Place – Shay Parker
3rd Place – Kundhana Kanagala

 

Division III

(grades 8-9)​

 

Division Winner – Adeline Barba
2nd Place – Enyonam Amoah
3rd Place – Leia Castillo

 

Division IV

(grades 10-12)

 

Division Winner – Tal Altman
2nd Place – Murari Ambati
3rd Place – Adam Snow​

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Editor's Choice Award and Grand Prize Winner

Tal Altman (Entry entitled “Night Shift”)

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"School's Out Shopping Spree" Winner

Brittlin Bussinger (Entry entitled “Lost For Love”)​

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Laptop Computer, Tablet, or Wireless Headphones Winner

Jackson Landry (Entry entitled “Wrap Around God”)​

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Amazon Gift Card Winners

Rowan Hopkins (Entry entitled “Raven”)
Joel Sandoval (Entry entitled “Flower”)
Heera Krishna (Entry entitled “Home: The Feeling”)
Renegade Miller (Entry entitled “Eh, Whaddya Gonna Do?”)
Vaani Jain (Entry entitled “The Table”)
Hadley Bogle (Entry entitled “My Favorite Place”)
Keara Watson (Entry entitled “Face”)
Kendall Sheppard (Entry entitled “Rain”)
Charlotte Graff (Entry entitled “What Is Blue?”)
G. Long (Entry entitled “Winter & Summer”)​​

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Top Educator Award Winners

Brian Kasper of Ranch Creek Elementary School in Colorado Springs, CO
Elizabeth Forman of New Lima School in Wewoka, OK
Justin Windham of Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies in Metairie, LA
Jennifer Williams of Glenwood Middle School in Glenwood, IA
Shawn Fisch of Long Island City High School in Astoria, NY
Angelia Jackson of Hemingway Elementary School in Hemingway, SC
Khristy Almonte of All Saints Academy in Scranton, PA
Faheem Shahid of Mohammed Schools of Atlanta in Atlanta, GA
Katie Noeske of Otsego Christian School in Gaylord, MI
Chad Campbell of Kauai Christian Academy in Kilauea, HI​​

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"Early Bird" Prize Winners

Kar Salois of St. Matthew's Catholic School in Kalispell, MT
Jen Davidson of Tri-City United High School in Montgomery, MN
Angela Hernandez of Liberty Leadership Academy in Cottonwood, AZ
Laura O'Meara of Leonia Middle School in Leonia, NJ
John LeRoy of Bourne High School in Bourne, MA
Katlyn DeLong of Julienne Catholic High School in Dayton, OH
Jason Sturgis of Jefferson Elementary School in Pocatello, ID
Jenny Good of Panther Lake Elementary School in Federal Way, WA
Andrea Browning of South Hopkins Middle School in Nortonville, KY
Lindsay Griffith of Dixon R1 Elementary School in Dixon, MO
Zachary Karges of Emmnus Lutheran School in Fort Wayne, IN
Jazmine Anderson of Jemez Valley Middle School in Jemez Pueblo, NM
Hanan Elkomy of Panama City Advanced School in Panama City, FL
Rachel Bradford of Central Montessori School in Richmond, VA
Christa Coulter of Howard Elementary School in Howard, SD
Julie Teixeira of East Lyme High School in East Lyme, CT
Jada Todd of West Forest Intermediate School in Opelika, AL
Chad Wallace of Power Center Academy High School in Memphis, TN
Carson Woodard of Foothill Montessori of Salt Lake North in Salt Lake, UT
Amelia Spooner of Ella Elementary School in Olivehurst, CA
Lawanda Monroe of The Varnett School Southwest in Houston, TX
Michaela Filocamo of Eagle Valley Middle School in Carson City, NV
Nolan Frey of Hyde Park Elementary School in Hyde Park, VT
Sarah Nikola of Clover Garden School in Burlington, NC
Chris Mikulskis of Evergreen Park Community High School in Evergreen Park, IL​​

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2026 Spirit of Education Award Winners

Scott Highlands Middle School in Apple Valley, MN
St. Clare Catholic School in O Fallon, IL