June 9th, 2025 -- Macmillan Education Caribbean is thrilled to announce the official launch of the Language Tree New Branches: Poetry Competition, an inspiring regional initiative designed to ignite creativity, support literacy development, and celebrate the unique voices of young learners and educators across the Caribbean.
Open to primary school students (Grades 3–6), lower secondary students, and teachers, the competition invites participants to submit original poems responding to one of six themes that reflect Caribbean life and identity. These are: The Weather, Nature, The Sea, Food, An Animal, or A Festival. Poems should be between 8 and 20 lines, written in Standard English, and reflect the personal voice and creativity of each entrant.
“Our goal is to create opportunities for expression that are accessible, enjoyable, and rooted in the lived experiences of our students and teachers,” said Katy Cordery, Marketing Manager at Macmillan Education Caribbean. “This competition offers a chance to celebrate the Caribbean’s diverse cultures and landscapes while fostering a love for language and literacy.”
Participants are encouraged to accompany their poems with hand-drawn illustrations. While these visuals would not be considered during judging, they offer a creative outlet for those who want to express themselves beyond words.
Entries must be submitted no later than Friday, 12th September 2025, with early submissions encouraged. A parent, guardian, or teacher must submit entries on behalf of student participants, along with a signed permission form. Poems will be evaluated by class (Primary Students, Secondary Students, and Teachers) based on originality, clarity of expression, relevance to the theme, and the use of poetic language.
Winning entries will be published in a professionally produced, one-off special edition poetry book by Macmillan Education, offering contributors a rare opportunity to become published authors and have their voices amplified across the Caribbean.
Macmillan Education Caribbean has provided detailed competition guidelines, judging criteria, and submission instructions on their website. All interested participants and educators are encouraged to visit the site for full details and to access the submission form.
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