Thanks to over 1,500 poets, teachers, schools, and judges for sharing in the 20th 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:
lonely moon-drunk thing
trapped in the grasp of the light
howl your bitter cry
Minna El Shamsy, Age 13, Grade 8
University of Chicago Lab School
2nd Prize:
winter’s breath whispers
frost-kissed mornings hush the earth
silent cold prevails
Adonyas Abrham, Age 14, Grade 7
St. Thomas of Canterbury School, Chicago
3rd Prize:
clouds drifting away
sun spills from behind the fog
spring restoration
Abby Nosal, Age 12, Grade 7
Holy Family Catholic Academy, Inverness, IL
Poem of the School Award:
butterfly’s ballet
fluttering wings paint the sky
nature’s graceful dance
Iyokie Robinson, Age 13, Grade 7
Alex Haley Academy, Chicago
Poem of the School Award:
my firefly jar
you release the golden light
sky of flying stars
Florence Caunter, Age 13, Grade 7
Galileo Scholastic Academy, Chicago
Poem of the School Award:
tall ancient mountains
wall of rock climbs to the clouds
holding up the sky
Sara Hunt, Age 13, Grade 8
Roycemore Elementary, Evanston, IL
Poem of the School Award:
fake simple façades
on the outside looking in
all for approval
Patrick Roache, Age 13, Grade 8
St. Barnabas School, Chicago
Teacher of the Year Award:
Ms. Diana Zurawski
Galileo Scholastic Academy, Chicago
School of the Year Award:
Josephine Locke Elementary, Chicago
Ms. Mindy Gonzalez
Ms. Joanne Lindley-Hernandez
Mr. Jack Devitt
Mr. David Kissane
Mr. Jeff Putnam
Ms. Sonia Solla