Tom Lee Poetry & Spoken Word Contest

Recognizing outstanding poetry and spoken word inspired by Tom Lee and his qualities of courage, generosity and humanity.

RULES & ELIGIBILITY

The contest is open to students in grades 9-12 attending any high school in Shelby County, TN. Submissions must be original, unpublished work and limited to 40 lines. Previous contest winners are ineligible. While writing about Tom Lee is not required, submissions should reflect themes of courage, generosity and humanity — qualities exemplified by Tom Lee.

The contest is judged by award-winning poet and University of Memphis Professor, Marcus Wicker. 

Prizes: 1st - $300, 2nd - $200, 3rd - $100
Winning teachers will receive gift cards in the same amount.

Submission Opens: February 1, 2027 | Submission Closes: March 31, 2027

Coming soon

  • FIRST PLACE
    Nevaeh McDuffy, Trezevant High School

    SECOND PLACE
    Analeigh Ngo, Lausanne Collegiate School

    THIRD PLACE - HIGH SCHOOL
    Isabel Hasfjord, Houston High School

    Read poems

  • FIRST PLACE
    Katie Phan, Hutchison School

    SECOND PLACE
    Jericka Self, Central High School

    THIRD PLACE
    Christian Love, Lausanne Collegiate School

    Read poems

  • Mid-South - Adult
    Rosalind Guy

    FIRST PLACE
    Max McClung, Crosstown High

    SECOND PLACE
    Owen McHaney, Crosstown High

    THIRD PLACE
    Ajada McGowan, Central High School

    Read poems

  • FIRST PLACE
    Ana Hunter, Hutchison School

    SECOND PLACE
    Riley Hancock, Crosstown High

    THIRD PLACE
    Guadalupe Moctezuma Gatica, Central High School

    Read poems

  • FIRST PLACE
    Aayush Jain, White Station High School

    SECOND PLACE
    Tamarrio Anderson, Memphis Business Academy

    THIRD PLACE
    Logan Parson, Germantown High School

    Read poems

2026 Tom Lee Poetry Contest Winners

Find Inspiration

Watch the spoken word performance Tom Lee: A Very Worthy Hero by Sebastian Carson and Tom Lee Park by Grammy-winning artist J. Ivy.