Fighting Words Poetry Contest – May 11

Posted by Pulitzer Center on March 18, 2025

Each spring, the Pulitzer Center invites K-12 students from around the world to use the power of poetry to process and respond to news stories on the world’s most pressing issues. Using lines from Pulitzer Center-supported news stories, participants can take action through their writing by finding local and personal connections to five focus areas: Climate and Environment, Global Health, Peace and Conflict, Human Rights, and Information and Artificial Intelligence.

This week, we are thrilled to announce the 2025 contest and share resources to help get your students started on creating poetic responses to the issues they care about most. Visit the updated contest portal to find full contest guidelines, suggested stories grouped by focus area and grade level, downloadable workshop presentations to introduce the contest to your students, and model poems by past contest winners.

All entries to the contest are due Sunday, May 11, by 11:59pm EDT. Winners will receive cash prizes and publication opportunities. All entrants will be invited to a virtual open mic event in May where students can share their poetry aloud in celebration with fellow contestants, educators, and Pulitzer Center staff.

If you have any questions after reading the contest portal, reach out to us any time at [email protected]. We can’t wait to read your students’ poems!