Tom Lee Poetry & Spoken Word Contest

Recognizing outstanding poetry and spoken word inspired by Tom Lee and the qualities of courage, kindness, selflessness and generosity that Lee exemplifies.

Tom Lee Poetry and Spoken Word Contest

The High School Competition

Rules & Eligibility

The High-School Competition is open to students between 9th and 12th grade attending a high-school in Shelby County, TN. Students must write an original work, not previously published and limited to 40 lines.

Prizes: 1st - $300, 2nd - $200, 3rd - $100 (Winning teachers receive gift card of same amount).

The Mid-South Competition

Rules & Eligibility

The Mid-South Competition is open to anyone over 18 years old residing in TN, MS or AR. Participants must write an original work, not previously published and limited to 50 lines.

Prize: $1,500

The judge for the contest is award-winning, widely published poet and professor at University of Memphis, Marcus Wicker. 

Writing about Tom Lee is not required, but work should be inspired by the themes of courage, kindness, selflessness and generosity.

Find Inspiration

Watch the spoken word performance Tom Lee: A Very Worthy Hero by Sebastian Carson.

2O22

FIRST PLACE

Aayush Jain, White Station High School

SECOND PLACE

Tamarrio Anderson, Memphis Business Academy

THIRD PLACE

Logan Parson, Germantown High School

Congratulations Winners!

2O23

FIRST PLACE

Ana Hunter, Hutchison School

SECOND PLACE

Riley Hancock, Crosstown High

THIRD PLACE

Guadalupe Moctezuma Gatica, Central High School

2O24

Coming soon