The Carl Sandburg Student Poetry Contest is held annually, with submissions announced each January and due by early March. The contest invites students from grades 3-12 to write poems inspired by a different theme each year. Educators are encouraged to submit original works from their students, with entries judged within three categories: grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Winners are celebrated at a virtual event where they share their poems.
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The 2026 Poetry Contest has recently concluded, under the theme of "Unity." Students submitted numerous poems, and judges selected the top winners and honorable mentions in each grade category. Details regarding the 2027 contest will be available in January.
In 2025, the theme was "Freedom," which led to a collection of reflective poems from students. Hundreds of entries were reviewed, resulting in top winners and honorable mentions in each grade group. All winning poems are displayed at the Carl Sandburg Home. The contest also honors visual artists whose works relate to the annual theme, displayed alongside the poetry.
For 2024, the theme was "Memory," inspiring exceptional poems from participants in all grades. As in previous years, judges chose the best entries for recognition.
The 2023 contest focused on the theme of "Hope," motivating students to express where they find hope in their surroundings. This theme was inspired by a stanza from Carl Sandburg's poem "The People, Yes."
In 2022, the theme of "Ambition" encouraged students to explore their aspirations and desires through poetry, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Carl Sandburg's Rootabaga Stories. Students were encouraged to reflect on the pull of ambition with lines that resonate deeply.