2025/2026 PST STUDENT POETRY CONTEST WINNERS
HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION RESULTS
Honorable Mentions
This category received thirty-six entries. Thank you to Megan Krupa, who served as the judge for this category. Krupa’s publications include the chapbook Heirloom, released by Finishing Line Press in 2020, and additional poetry in BOAAT, Broad River Review, and Driftwood Press. She is a former high school English teacher and currently serves as an assistant professor and Graduate Program Coordinator for the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program at East Tennessee State University.
MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION RESULTS
Honorable Mentions
This category received one hundred entries. Thank you to Macy Shaver, who served as this category’s judge. Shaver attended Roane State Community College, Tennessee Technological University, and Bryan College, earning collegiate writing awards and graduating with degrees in science and English literature. Her poetry and photography have appeared in The Iris Review. She is in the process of developing her first poetry collection.
ELEMENTARY DIVISION RESULTS
Honorable Mentions
This category received eighty-seven entries. Thank you to Kory Wells, who served as the judge for this category. Wells is the author of Sugar Fix, poetry from Terrapin Books (September 2019), and the poetry chapbook Heaven Was the Moon from March Street Press. She has served as the inaugural poet laureate of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and mentors poets across the nation through the from-home creative writing program MTSU Write.
HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION RESULTS
- “How the Life Goes By” by Sharon Honeycutt (9th grade, Sunbright School; teacher: Richard Baskin)
- “Our Supernova” by Sara Yoshida (11th grade, Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts; teacher: Kendra McLemore)
- “Lost in the Wind” by Kristopher Kman (9th grade, Sunbright School; teacher: Richard Baskin)
- “Wall & Bee” by Melanie Williams (11th grade, Shelbyville Central High School; teacher: Mersielle Williams)
- “Flower of Friendship” by Lilly Adams (9th grade, Westminster Academy; teacher: Dee Stubblefield)
Honorable Mentions
- No honorable mentions were selected for this division.
This category received thirty-six entries. Thank you to Megan Krupa, who served as the judge for this category. Krupa’s publications include the chapbook Heirloom, released by Finishing Line Press in 2020, and additional poetry in BOAAT, Broad River Review, and Driftwood Press. She is a former high school English teacher and currently serves as an assistant professor and Graduate Program Coordinator for the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program at East Tennessee State University.
MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION RESULTS
- "Puppet Strings to Me” by Maya Calabrese (7th grade, White Station Middle School; teacher: Karla Varriano)
- “Bleach burns” by Sesen Tesfey (7th grade, White Station Middle School; teacher: Karla Varriano)
- “Truly Stained Glass” by Phoenix Block (8th grade, Stewarts Creek Middle School; teacher: James Scannell)
- “The Screen” by Min Lieberman (7th grade, White Station Middle School; teacher: Karla Varriano)
- “Fall” by Malaika Njui (7th grade, Colonial Middle School; teacher: Amber Smith)
Honorable Mentions
- “The Cure” by Allison Heinz (7th grade, White Station Middle School; teacher: Karla Varriano)
- “I Wish I Could Be Like You” by Andrew Chase (6th grade, Columbia Academy at Spring Hill; teacher: Karla Hardison)
This category received one hundred entries. Thank you to Macy Shaver, who served as this category’s judge. Shaver attended Roane State Community College, Tennessee Technological University, and Bryan College, earning collegiate writing awards and graduating with degrees in science and English literature. Her poetry and photography have appeared in The Iris Review. She is in the process of developing her first poetry collection.
ELEMENTARY DIVISION RESULTS
- "Hospital” by Thabiso Petrauskis (4th grade, Columbia Academy; teacher: Kathryn Phillips)
- ”Christmas Magic” by Addison Chapman (4th grade, Columbia Academy; teacher: Kathryn Phillips)
- “Blue” by Finley Jackson (4th grade, Columbia Academy; teacher: Kathryn Phillips)
- “Cutting Grass” by Reed Mitchell (4th grade, Columbia Academy; teacher: Kathryn Phillips)
- “Unhaired” by Andalynn Bell (4th grade, Columbia Academy: teacher: Kathryn Phillips)
Honorable Mentions
- “Art” by Jasper Crook (5th grade, Columbia Academy at Spring Hill; teacher: Karla Hardison)
- “The Creek” by Asher Parra (5th grade, Columbia Academy at Spring Hill: teacher: Karla Hardison)
- “Golfing with Dad” by Redding Love (5th grade, Columbia Academy; teacher: Kathryn Phillips)
- “The Color Poem” by Riley Hatfield (4th grade, Columbia Academy; teacher: Kathryn Phillips)
- “Books Speak, Too” by Lexi Reliford (5th grade, Columbia Academy at Spring Hill; teacher: Karla Hardison)
This category received eighty-seven entries. Thank you to Kory Wells, who served as the judge for this category. Wells is the author of Sugar Fix, poetry from Terrapin Books (September 2019), and the poetry chapbook Heaven Was the Moon from March Street Press. She has served as the inaugural poet laureate of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and mentors poets across the nation through the from-home creative writing program MTSU Write.