Haiku Fest awarded certificates to all participating student poets. Thanks to over 3,000 poets, parents and teachers for making Haiku Fest successful. Winning entries are listed below. For entries receiving Honorable Mention, click here.

We proudly announce the following commendations:

First Prize: $100

Butterfly dances
Flaunting its delicate grace
Cocoon forgotten

Olivia Cheng, Age 13, Grade 8
University of Chicago Lab School


Second Prize: $75

We are like crayons,
Some broke, some leaning on one,
We can’t all be sharp.

Kara Donovan, Age 11, Grade 6
St. Cornelius, Chicago


Third Prize: $25

Veil of mournful smoke
On the floor lingers crimson
Stinking of regret

Alejandro Cortes, Age 14, Grade 8
Charles Dawes Elementary, Chicago


Gwendolyn Brooks Award: $25

My dad lost a foot
I’m sad because he can’t play
He is still with me

Brandon Mota, Age 10, Grade 5
Daniel Boone Elementary, Chicago


Founders Award: $20

Drops of dew fall down
Flowers secretly blossom
People start to wake

Sayed Ali, Age 14, Grade 8
Jamieson Elementary, Chicago


10th Anniversary Anthology Cover Art Award: $100

Jailan Goss, Age 11, Grade 5
Langston Hughes Elementary, Chicago


10th Anniversary Anthology Cover Art Honorable Mention

Elizabeth Claybaker, Age 11, Grade 6
St. Cornelius, Chicago


Poem of the School Award

Eagles are so cool,
They represent our country,
Models that show strength.

Josue Rivas, Age 9, Grade 4
Avondale-Logandale Elementary, Chicago

Poem of the School Award

Snow day’s really fun
Hot chocolate pajamas
Make-up days not so!

Joshua Shorter, Age 9, Grade 3
Myra Bradwell Elementary, Chicago


Poem of the School Award

Tree decorating
Drinking warm hot chocolate
Snow ball fights are fun

Jacob Ramirez, Age 9, Grade 3
Michael M. Byrne Elementary, Chicago


Poem of the School Award

The world has beauty
where the people live in peace
I just dreamed of it

Emanuel Brown, Age 14, Grade 8
Langston Hughes Elementary, Chicago


Poem of the School Award

Sister who I love
went to the navy and stayed
Miss her so much now

Lisa Sanders, Age 12, Grade 6
Josephine Locke Elementary, Chicago


Poem of the School Award

Death and the Maiden
Music of a peaceful death
A very sad piece

Sarah Nguyen, Age 12, Grade 6
John McCutcheon Elementary, Chicago


Poem of the School Award

cumulonimbus
a cloud that is very big
is dark and scary

Rodrigo Gonzalez, Age 12, Grade 7
St. Bartholomew, Chicago


Poem of the School Award

Dandelions fly
gliding through the air like planes
with faint whisps of wind

Conor Joseph Larkin, Age 12, Grade 7
St. Christina, Chicago


Poem of the School Award

Wolves howl at the moon
The wind blows thunder crashes
The dog likes to bark

Lawrence Schab, Age 12, Grade 6
St. Daniel, Chicago

Poem of the School Award

The world at my hands
An affluence of knowledge
Fiction comes alive

Grace Dougan, Age 12, Grade 6
St. Francis Borgia, Chicago


Poem of the School Award

Fog is so shady.
Fit or not are hooded gray.
It masks the lovely.

Zachary Cicero, Age 13, Grade 8
St. Paschal, Chicago


Poem of the School Award

Silent with darkness
A very cool place to be
Bats, bugs and wet dirt

Jeremiah Ramirez, Age 10, Grade 4
St. Symphorosa, Chicago


Poem of the School Award

The brown deer runs by
the gray wolf howls at night time
the quiet bear sleeps

Phillip Paloma, Age 10, Grade 4
St. Viator, Chicago


Teacher of the Year:

Ms. Joan Baley
St. Christina, Chicago


Honorable Mention for Teacher of the Year:

Ms. Melody Farmer
Myra Bradwell Elementary, Chicago

Ms. Joann Serafin
St. Daniel the Prophet, Chicago


School of the Year:

University of Chicago Lab School
Ms. Peggy Doyle, Mr. Joseph Drogos,
Ms. Staci Garner, Ms. Lisa Miller,
Mr. Sam Nekrosius, Ms. Lisa Sukenic,
Ms. Jan Yourist


Honorable Mention for School of the Year:

St. Christina, Chicago
Ms. Joan Baley

St. Daniel the Prophet, Chicago
Ms. Joann Serafin

Myra Bradwell Elementary, Chicago
Ms. Melody Farmer, Ms. Kirsten Musetti