We’re having a school poetry contest!

Dear Waltham students,

Are you ready to share your voice, spark your imagination, and let your creativity shine? The Waltham Times is proud to sponsor our first annual district-wide Poetry Contest! We invite you to pick up your pen or open your laptop and express yourself through the power of poetry. Whether you have been writing poetry for years or want to try something completely new, we want to read your work. Every story, feeling and perspective matters. We cannot wait to read the incredible poems our Waltham students create!

Here’s your poetry prompt

The holidays are coming, a time when we give thanks. What does the word “gratitude” mean to you? Who are what are you thankful for — or not! Write a poem to express what you feel and think about the idea of being thankful or grateful. Be honest. There are no wrong answers.

Who can enter and when

• The contest is open to all Waltham Public Schools students in grades 3 through 12.
• All poems must be submitted by Friday, November 6.

How to submit

You can submit your original poem in any of the following three ways:

• By Email: Send your poem to poetry@walthamtimes.org
• Use our online form.
• Mail your entry to: The Waltham Times Poetry Contest, P.O. Box 540109, Waltham, MA 02454

What to include

• Your name
• Your grade
• Your school
• Your poem 
• Your parent or guardian’s name and email or phone, and statement “I give The Waltham Times permission to publish [YOUR NAME]’s poem.”

Poems can be typed (enter online or in a Word doc) or handwritten (upload a photo or scan).

What happens next?

Poems will be reviewed by a panel of judges. A selection will be published in the December 2026 print edition of The Waltham Times. In addition, all prize winners and honorable mentions will be published in the online Times.