Delaware County Libraries Seeking Submissions for the 35th Annual Young Poets Competition

Released: March 13, 2024

Delaware County Libraries Seeking Submissions for the 35th Annual Young Poets Competition

Poetry Contest Open to all Delaware County Students!

For the 35th consecutive year, Delaware County Libraries, in collaboration with the Mad Poets Society, is thrilled to announce the Delaware County Young Poets Competition. This popular, long-running contest, inviting residents to explore their creativity and share their voice, is open to all 1st through 12th Grade students residing or attending school in Delaware County. Students are encouraged to submit an original poem for consideration.

A distinguished panel of local poets, educators, and authors will judge the entries, selecting 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place masterpieces for each grade level. The selected works will be featured in the Library’s annual poetry anthology and will be showcased on the websites of both Delaware County Libraries and the Mad Poets Society, celebrating the vibrant voices of our young poets.

The submission deadline is April 5, 2024.

Participation Details:

• Poems may be submitted in person at any of the 28 Delaware County Library locations or online at http://www.delcolibraries.org/poetry-contest.
• Submissions must be typed on 8 ½” by 11” paper and saved in MS Word format.
• Limit of one poem per student.
• Please include the student’s name, grade, phone number, address, the parent’s email (no school emails please), and school name at the top right corner of the first page. Entries missing this information will be disqualified.
• Contact information is solely for notification purposes and will remain confidential.
• Participants are advised to keep a copy of their submission, as entries will not be returned.

Award Ceremony Details

The Annual Young Poets Competition will culminate with a special awards ceremony and poetry reading on May 19. Winners, along with their families, will be cordially invited to celebrate their accomplishments. Invitations to the awards ceremony will be sent by email by May 3rd.

For more information about the contest, please reach out to Cheri Crow, Youth Services Coordinator for Delaware County Libraries, at ccrow@delcolibraries.org or contact the Mad Poets Society at info@madpoetssociety.com.

Delaware County Libraries is an agency of county government that provides support services for 26 independent member libraries. For information about the wide range of library services available to all county residents, visit www.delcolibraries.org.

2023 Anthology:
https://www.delcolibraries.org/sites/default/files/final_2023_poets_booklet.pdf