Celebrate South Central Pennsylvania’s Newest Poets! Each winter, we ask students from across York and Adams Counties (Pennsylvania) to submit their best poems for our annual Celebration of Poetry contest. Guest judges read dozens of entries across six different age brackets: Grades 1-2 Grades 3-4 Grades 5-6 Grades 7-8 Grades 9-10 Grades 11-12 Let your creativity soar! Previous poem entries have included themes of nature, people, trips, and the universe! Four winning poems will be selected for each of the six age brackets. Submit your poem! Submission Guidelines The submission portal opens in November and closes in January each year. Entrants must be between Grades 1-12 and a resident of York or Adams County, PA. Entrants may submit one original poem in the style of their choice. Poems must be submitted using the online entry form below Poem must be typed. File formats of .txt and .docx (or .doc) are ideal! Poem must be the work of an individual, not a group or collaboration. Poem must be the work of a human being in its entirety. Poems written by an AI (or written by an AI and edited by a human) will be disqualified. Poem submissions open November 17, 2024 Poems must be submitted using the online entry form by January 17, 2025. Contact information should not be included directly on the poem. Include it in the online submission form instead. This is part of our fair judging process. Any accompanying artwork must be original and not AI-generated. Poems will become the property of York County Libraries and will not be returned, so please keep a copy of your poem for yourself. Frequently Asked Questions What is an example of a winning poem? Use the flip book below to read the most recent poetry book or check out our catalog for prior years’ winning poems. Many are in real books in our libraries! View winning poems Do you have any tips for writing poetry? Yes! Here is a printable handout with ideas to get you inspired and writing! Learn More Can I use ChatGPT to write a poem, or help me write one? No—your creativity and input is much better than anything AI (artificial intelligence) can come up with! Poems written by an AI (or written by an AI and edited by a human) will be disqualified. AI writing programs include but are not limited to ChatGPT, Claude, DeepAI, Google Gemini, etc. The same standards apply to artwork submitted along with a poem. Can I work with a group to write a poem? Qualifying poems should be the work of an individual, not a group or collaboration. You can work with other people to get feedback and improve your poem, but the writing should be your own. Entry Form for A Celebration of Poetry Submit your original poem here! Please make sure identifying information (name, grade, school, etc) are NOT included directly in the document. Editable document formats are preferred, e.g. .docx. Image files may be submitted in .jpg, .png, .pdf The entry period for the 2025 Celebration of Poetry contest has closed. Be sure to sign up for our Kids or Teens Newsletters to stay in the loop about next year's contest. In the meantime, keep writing! Celebrate South Central Pennsylvania’s Newest Poets! You can read the 2024 winning poems here. Each year, York County Libraries publishes the winning poems in a real print book—available for checkout in our libraries!