To celebrate National Poetry Month and Oklahoma, the Rural Oklahoma Museum of Poetry conducts an annual Oklahoma Poem Contest, with cash prizes for the winners.

We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 contest. We received 683 entries from all across the state this year, a record for the contest, so competition was incredible.

2024 Oklahoma Poem Contest Winners

K-4^th Grade

1^st, Vivian Williams, Alva
2^nd, Bostyn Shepherd, Enid,
3^rd, Leyton Lea, Enid

 5^th-8^th Grade

1^st, Hartley Burchardt, Chandler
2^nd, Evie Smith, Elgin
3^rd, Eli Elliott, Sulphur

9^th-12^th Grade

1^st, Laney Henry, Pawnee
2^nd, Steven Vuong, Moore
3^rd, Kadence Morris, Owasso

 Adult

1^st, Paul Juhasz, Oklahoma City
2^nd, Corinne Gaston, Tulsa
3^rd, Mason Turner, Howe

Cash prizes will be awarded at Wonder City Wordfest at the Rural Oklahoma Museum of Poetry, Locust Grove, on April 13, at noon. The prizes are $100 for 1^st place, $75 for 2^nd place, and $50 for 3^rd place. Gold, silver, and bronze medals are also awarded.

Each category was judged anonymously by a different person, who will be on hand to give out the awards for the category he/she judged.

2024 WINNING POEMS: Click link below to see the pdf of winning poems. They will also be on display inside the museum.

2024 Winners-OK Poem Contest

STAY TUNED for information about the 2025 contest, as we have some exciting changes in store for it.

2023 Oklahoma Poem Contest Winners

In 2023, the contest received 553 entries and the final round of entries was judged by retired English professor and poet Roxann Yates. Winning poems were read at Wonder City Wordfest. 

K-4^th
1^st, Lejeh Kim, Broken Arrow
2^nd, Vivian Williams, Alva
3^rd, Oliver Griffith, Shawnee

5^th-8^th
1^st. Allison Radcliffe, Chandler
2^nd, Daniella Priester, Skiatook
3^rd, Tailyn Lee, Skiatook

9^th-12^th
 1^st, Gavin Dennis, Wagoner
2^nd, Blake Means, Claremore
3^rd, Emma Oliver, Grove

Adult
1^st, Zhenya Yevtushenko, Tulsa
2^nd, Sarah Bell, Newalla
3^rd, Gary Reddin, Duncan

2023 OK Poems

2022 Oklahoma Poem Contest Winners

In 2022, we received 526 entries, the most we have ever received. Competition was extremely tough! Thank you to everyone who entered!

K-4^th Grade

1. Lizabeth Bundy, Idabel, “The Sooner State”
2. Lana Smith, Tuttle, “Oklahoma Buffalo”
3. Kambryi Bowles, Tuttle, “The Oklahoma Honeybee”

5^th-8^th Grade

1. Tsuguaki Katoh, Tulsa, “A Place I’ve Seen Grow”
2. Payton Marlin, Inola, “Day at the Ranch”
3. Sadie Ferguson, Wagoner, “Oklahoma Masterpiece”

9^th-12 Grade

1. Lucas Buzzelli, Claremore, “Frogs from an Oklahoma Clearing”
2. Reese Akins, Edmond, “My Oklahoma”
3. Eric Geng, Norman, “Mother Oklahoma”

Adult

1. Cody Swinson, Lexington, “A Feather Blows”
2. Regina Philpott McLemore, Stilwell, “Shades of Oklahoma”
3. Jeffry Baggett, Tulsa, “Council Oak Tree”

READ WINNING POEMS (pdf): 2022 Oklahoma Poem Contest Winners

 

Oklahoma Poem Contest Winners 2021

K-5^th Grade

1. Easton King, Lawton, Epic Charter School
2. Panashe Mushonga, Oklahoma City, Home-Schooled
3. Evan Foresman, Yukon, Independence Intermediate

6^th-8^th Grade

1. Hayden Barrowman, Norman, Whittier Middle School
2. Mykayla Shearer, Chickasha, Friend School
3. TIE: Kyler Nida, Harrah, Belle Isle Enterprise Middle School
   and Hannah Joo, Norman, Terra Verde Discovery School

9^th-12^th Grade

1. Emma Cinocca, Tulsa, Jenks High School
2. Lucas Buzzelli, Claremore, Claremore High School
3. TIE: Kayley Ray, Lenapah, Oklahoma Union
   and Kaitlyn Pierce, Nowata, Oklahoma Union

Adult

1. Jen Handsel, Tulsa
2. Kathy Snyman, Locust Grove
3. Emily Geest, Stillwater
   Honorable Mention: Kathryn Lawler, Norman

The winning poems for 2021 can be read in THIS DOCUMENT. Prizes will be mailed to the winners! The winning poems will also be on display in the museum.

The Oklahoma Poem Contest takes place every year with a deadline in early April.

Rural Oklahoma Museum of Poetry
2020 Oklahoma Poem Contest Winning Poets

Adult

1^st, Aunika Anderson, Spiro
2^nd, Jacquelyn Magrady, Tulsa
3^rd, Zachary Wilhite, Claremore

9^th-12^th Grade

1^st, Kaylee Bowman, Grove
2^nd, Justin Herlan, Bluejacket
3^rd, Harley Lee, Bluejacket

5^th-8^th Grade

1^st, Aurora Parks, Pryor
2^nd, Ashlie Nguyen, Yukon
3^rd, Zack Strong, Yukon

K-4^th Grade

1^st, Jediah Harrison, Grove
2^nd, MeKenzie Smith, Yukon
3^rd, Silas Jackson, Grove

Oklahoma Poem Contest 2020: Winning Poems

2019 Oklahoma Poem Contest Winners

Adult

1^st, Hannah Ewton, Claremore

2^nd, Darron Dunbar, Oklahoma City

3^rd, Mary McCloskey, Oklahoma City

9^th-12^th

1^st, Palmer Strubhar, Piedmont

5^th-8^th

1^st, Lahna Erwin

2^nd, Ivy Snyder

3^rd, Ashley Smith

K-4^th

1^st, Zack Strong, Yukon

2^nd Alexander Spruill, El Reno & Kaylee Porter, Yukon

3^rd, Leslie Bernal, Tulsa

CLICK HERE to see photos by Zack Strong’s grandfather Lonnie Rickey at Wonder City Wordfest

2019 OK Winning Poems

Poem by Darron Dunbar

2018 Oklahoma Poem Contest Winners

Photographs of the winners who were at the ceremony can be found HERE.

Category: K-5^th Grade

1^st
Aurora Parks, Roosevelt Elementary, Pryor

2^nd
Amelia Hanlan, Independence Elementary, Yukon

3^rd (tie)
Madison Mennecke, LGUE, Locust Grove

Parker Hensley, Independence Elementary, Yukon

Category: 6^th-8^th Grade

1st
Erin Bendabout, LGMS, Locust Grove

2nd
Jerah Bighorse, LGMS, Locust Grove

3^rd (tie)
Miranda Blossom, LGMS, Locust Grove

Mya Phillips, LGMS, Locust Grove

Category: 9th-12th Grade

1st

Jasmine Alverado, Emerson South, Oklahoma City

2nd
Sierra Murphy, LGHS, Locust Grove

3rd
Audra Cunningham, LGHS, Locust Grove

Category: Adult

1^st
Casey Mclerran, Sapulpa

2^nd
Debra Martin, Edmond

3^rd
Hannah Eaton, Claremore

You can read all of the winning poems in a pdf by clicking HERE.

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