Celebrate the winners of the Illinois state-wide Gwendolyn Brooks Youth Poetry Awards. Miss Brooks created and continued these awards for thirty years—honoring the poems of exceptional young Illinois poets in kindergarten through the twelfth grade.
Host Eve L. Ewing leads this lively event of poetry readings, food and family.
View the 2018 Winners by Grade:
Kindergarten
“I Like…” by Emily Kleckner – Stockton Elementary School, Stockton
1st Grade
“Tissue paper flower poem” by Sally Weinberg – Washington Elementary School, Evanston
“Ode to Lemonade” by Matilda Zeman – The Avery Coonley School, Downers Grove
2nd Grade
“I wish” by Maggie Phelps – Carlinville Primary School, Carlinville
“A Jaguar” by Chloe Best – Irving Elementary, Oak Park
“Green” by Weston Haas – Stockton Elementary School, Stockton
3rd Grade
“Untitled” by Miles Gardner – Francis W. Parker School, Chicago
“Untitled” by Sascha Keller – Francis W. Parker School, Chicago
“Deming” by Maddy Lehman – Francis W. Parker School, Chicago
4th Grade
“Tiny Chicago” by Abby Ortman – St. Symphorosa, Chicago
“Sleep” by Hailey Broshous – Stockton Elementary School, Stockton
5th Grade
“My Sun” by Lincoln Hamid – Francis W. Parker School, Chicago
“Ashes” by Amanda Feinberg – Science and Arts Academy, Des Plaines
“America” by Kiera Wilson – UChicago Charter School North Kenwood/Oakland (NKO) Campus, Chicago
6th Grade
“Broken Bridge” by Jacky Liu – John C Haines Elementary School, Chicago
“The Baton” by Cathy Ye – John C Haines Elementary School, Chicago
“My Desk, The Mess” by Kiana Pan – Gregory Middle School, Naperville
7th Grade
“Dreams at Dusk” by Annika Geiersbach – The Avery Coonley School, Downers Grove
“6,814,692 Seconds” by Ava Gates – William Howard Taft High School, Chicago
“The Play” by Owen McGarry – The Avery Coonley School, Downers Grove
8th Grade
“The life of a leaf” by Clinesha Toliver – Ball Charter School, Springfield
“Flying Free” by Marcos Rodriguez – The Avery Coonley School, Downers Grove
“The Voice” by Libby Dilley – Franklin Middle School, Springfield
9th Grade
“glorious life; first words” by Corrin McPherson – South Elgin High School, South Elgin
“My Colored Hair” by Kylie Hinshaw – Pontiac Township High School, Pontiac
“Gun Control Laws in America” by Nayzeth Herrera – George Washington High School, Chicago
10th Grade
“More Than Houses” by Elle Morson – Waubonsie Valley High School, Aurora
“Coal in a Hamper” by Kyla Pereles – Strickler – Oak Park and River Forest High School, Oak Park
“Violence” by Sam Abbey – East Peoria Community High School, East Peoria
11th Grade
“The Toil of Honor” by Zoe Becker – Streamwood High School, Streamwood
“The Linden Purple Line” by Kara Kowalski – Lincoln Park High School, Chicago
“No Need For a Eulogy” by Gina Wiste – Benet Academy, Lisle
12th Grade
“Never Non – Fiction” by Cleo Shine – Senn High School, Chicago
“An Ocean Away” by Haley Cao – The Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts), Chicago
“My City” by Denzel B. – Nancy B. Jefferson Alternative School / Free Write Arts & Literacy, Chicago
“Ode to Bouncy Balls” by Marliese Ruch – Oswego High School, Oswego
View the 2018 Honorable Mentions by Grade:
2nd Grade
“Principal” by Nikhil Sengupta – National Teachers Academy (NTA), Chicago
“Monkeys” by Khannon Jones – Stockton Elementary School, Stockton
6th Grade
“I’ll Keep Going” by Kristi Osborne – John C Haines Elementary School, Chicago
7th Grade
“An Assassination in the Presence of a Diplomat” by Alexander Recchia – The Avery Coonley School, Downers Grove
“Ice Cream” by Wilson Hinchsliff – William Howard Taft High School, Chicago
“Layers of Me” by Jazmine Neely – Yorkville Middle School, Yorkville
“Lowlife” by Alexis Dunaway – Oak Lawn Hometown Middle School, Oak Lawn
8th Grade
“A Putrid Predicament” by Cate Stocki – The Avery Coonley School, Downers Grove
“little boy.” by Gabby Dziekan – Scullen Middle School, Naperville
“Lorenzo and the Space Pear” by Ainsley Atwood – The Avery Coonley School, Downers Grove
“The Home” by Nolan Sheehy – The Avery Coonley School, Downers Grove
9th Grade
“Love Like a Rose” by Dylan Fletcher – Pontiac Township High School, Pontiac
“Parkland Shooting: Verse Journalism” by Taiwo Onibokun – George Washington High School, Chicago
“Mexico’s hard work and love” by Juan Cardenas – George Washington High School, Chicago
10th Grade
“Loving Soul” by Raziyah H. – Nancy B. Jefferson Alternative School / Free Write Arts & Literacy, Chicago
“modern venus” by Elliot Kraft – Wheaton Academy, West Chicago
“My City” by Sergio B. – Nancy B. Jefferson Alternative School / Free Write Arts & Literacy, Chicago
11th Grade
“Annie” by Veshonae H. – Nancy B. Jefferson Alternative School / Free Write Arts & Literacy, Chicago
“One Day” by Ashley Soto – George Washington High School, Chicago
“Suicide” by Kayla Myers – Carlinville High School, Carlinville
“what is love” by Ariana Raygoza – George Washington High School, Chicago
12th Grade
“Brown Skin” by janiyah branch – Metea Valley High School, Aurora
“The Case Won’t Close” by Zaria Brim – Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, Chicago
Learn more about the Gwendolyn Brooks Youth Poetry Awards.