Statewide Student Poetry Competition

For over forty years the Illinois Association of Teachers of English (IATE) has sponsored a statewide poetry and prose competition for Illinois grade, middle, and high school students.

Beginning with the 2004/2005 school year, for the first time ever, First Lady Patricia Blagojevich and I were pleased to partner with IATE to cosponsor this writing competition. Since then, our welcome affiliation has continued to support Illinois students’ creative work.

My particular focus, of course, remains the student poetry contest. A list of this year’s winning student-poets, their poems, their schools, and their nominating teachers can be found below. In addition, students’ first place poems appear annually in the fall issue of IATE’s Illinois English Bulletin.

From this year’s fine group of winning poems, I have chosen several to receive notice as Poems of Special Merit. This award recognizes work that exhibits an appealing blend of craft and content, work that shows the poet rising above the mundane to establish, as Emerson says, “an original relationship to the universe.”

I am delighted First Lady Patricia Blagojevich, IATE, Bradley University, and I team together to sponsor this award. It is our way both to reward exceptional student writing and to encourage students to pursue the pleasures and challenges of the literary life.

All students earning Poems of Special Merit recognition receive award certificates signed by the First Lady and myself.

2007 / 2008 Poems of Special Merit

Here's a list of recipients of Special Merit awards, their schools, and their nominating teachers. Winning poems can be viewed by clicking the students' names.

Ade Ajanaku, “Listen to the Rain” / Sixth Grade / Teacher, Cyn Koukos / Lycee Francais de Chicago ( Chicago, IL)

Amber Davis, “Megan” / Ninth Grade / Teacher, Lee Roll / Oakland High School ( Oakland, IL)

Nora Gabor, “Electric Love” / Tenth Grade / Teacher, Elizabeth Hartley / Evanston Township High School ( Evanston, IL)

Jimmy Harper, “Ten” / Eighth Grade / Teacher, Cyn Koukos / Lycee de Francais de Chicago ( Chicago, IL)

Anna Krueger, “Snake Skin” / Twelfth Grade / Teacher, Kate Sullivan / Lyons Township High School ( LaGrange, IL)

This yearly contest is open to all Illinois grade, middle, and high school students. To be eligible, student work must be submitted by a teacher who is a member of the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. For contest guidelines and deadlines, please email IATE officials Professor Jan Neuleib (jneuleib@ilstu.edu) or Ms. Martha Frieburg (mfrieb@ilstu.edu), or write IATE at Illinois State University / Campus Box 4240 / English Department IATE / Normal, IL 71770.

Please click here to view previous year winners:
2004/2005 IATE Poetry Contest winners
2005/2006 IATE Poetry Contest winners
2006/2007 IATE Poetry Contest winners

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