Menlo Park’s 2025 Youth Poetry Contest was a great success!  This was our fourth full in-person contest, open to students in grades 1-12. Our 26 submissions came from 16 schools across our community. This year’s poems reflected a wonderful range of perspectives and voices. Our panel of judges had the challenging task of choosing six “featured poets” and all poets were invited to read their poem aloud to family, friends, and library staff at a library event celebrating Youth Poetry. Two of the highlighted poets also recited their poems at the Menlo Park City Council meeting held on May 13, 2025.  A compendium of all poems is on display in the “Local Authors” section at both the Menlo Park Main Library and the Belle Haven Library.

The Menlo Park Library Foundation, which funded printing of the compendium of poems and refreshments for the celebration event, looks forward to next year’s event and will announce details in early 2026. We are very thankful for the partnership with the Menlo Park Library, local school officials and, of course, our terrific students and their families. We will see you next year!