Thanks to over 1,400 poets, essayists, artists; and 64 teachers from 36 schools for sharing in the 22nd Annual Haiku Festival workshops, readings, and events. Haiku Fest celebrates children through poetry and the arts, while promoting literacy.
Haiku Festival awards certificates to all participating student poets. Winning entries are listed below.
We proudly announce the following commendations for participants in grades 7 and 8:
First Prize:
leaves bleed red and gold
sharp winds carve the barren fields
silence settles in
Adaliia Taalaibekova, Age 13, Grade 7
Newton Bateman Elementary, Chicago
2nd Prize:
winter slinks away
as things left behind are found
in the melting snow
Avery Veldman, Age 12, Grade 7
University of Chicago Lab School, Chicago
3rd Prize:
trees silhouetted
against the vibrant colors
of a spring sunset
Faith Hubbard, Age 14, Grade 8
University of Chicago Lab School, Chicago
International Founders Award:
through a lantern glass
ballet dancer twists and turns
the flame does it all
Ofori Henry, Age 14, Grade 8
Dannaks Academy, Accra, Ghana
Poem of the School Award:
the horse of death comes
bringing me deep agony
complete loss of breath
Autumn Williams, Age 14, Grade 8
Academy of St. Benedict the African, Chicago
Poem of the School Award:
deep dish pizza smell
sears tower touches the clouds
rivers flowing green
Natalie Smith, Age 12, Grade 7
Academy of the Sacred Heart & Hardy Prep, Chicago
Poem of the School Award:
snow glistening white
santa delivers presents
somehow woke to coal
Galileo Scholastic Academy, Age 12, Grade 7
Galileo Scholastic Academy, Chicago
Poem of the School Award:
wet sand meets the sea
waves wash over tiny shells
footprints disappear
Alexis Gutierrez, Age 12, Grade 7
Josephine Locke Elementary, Chicago
Poem of the School Award:
as every day ends
silence falls from dusk to dawn
the world seems to stop
Anaya Velan, Age 12, Grade 7
Near North Montessori, Chicago
Poem of the School Award:
nails through trembling hands
heaven weeps yet stays its breath
hope bleeds into earth
Mitchell Hui, Age 14, Grade 8
St. Therese, Chicago
Honorable Mention:
the dog jumps over
the beautiful dancing frog
after eating fish
Ma’Kayla Buchanan, Age 13, Grade 8
Galileo Scholastic Academy, Chicago
Teacher of the Year Award:
Ms. Diana Zurawski
Galileo Scholastic Academy, Chicago
School of the Year Award:
Dannacks International Academy, Accra, Ghana
Justice Joseph Prah