Fighting Words Poetry Contest Expands to Young Adults

The Pulitzer Center is proud to announce an expansion of our Fighting Words Poetry Contest. Starting this year, we will welcome entries from young adults ages 18-24, in addition to primary and secondary school students around the world.

Now in its ninth year, the Fighting Words Poetry Contest invites young people to respond creatively to underreported news stories by weaving lines from Pulitzer Center-supported reporting into original poems. Merging art and journalism, the program encourages young people to engage with the news, amplifies youth voices, and inspires curiosity in a rapidly changing world.

In 2025, the contest received a record-breaking 1,875 entries from 26 countries, 40 U.S. states, and the District of Columbia. Twenty-three young poets were recognized as winners and finalists. In a survey of contest participants, 97% of students reported that they increased their understanding of the global issue they wrote about through the program, and 98% of students agreed that journalism can be a useful starting point to take informed action on the issues they care about.

“Students care about what is happening in their community and in the world. They want to be able to make a difference in their local and global communities. This contest is one way that students can share their voices with the world. This contest allows them to make a difference with their words.” 

— Elizabeth Jorgensen, high school teacher in Wisconsin

Through Fighting Words and other student programs, the Center encourages young people to use writing to process their personal feelings about issues in the news. Young people are also urged to share their words with the world, making those issues more relevant for others.

We are thrilled to expand this opportunity to young poets navigating community leadership, careers, college, and an evolving information environment. 

The Fighting Words Poetry Contest opens today, and will accept submissions until Sunday, May 10, 2026. Learn more about eligibility, prizes, and how to enter.

Still, we write,
because writing is rebellion too,
blue mascara and calloused hands,
mourners and medics in one breath.
This age we never chose
will not silence our song.

Excerpt from "The Age We Never Chose," by Kyle Pham
8th grade | Walker Junior High School | California
With lines from "Growing Up During Wartime" by Natalie Keyssar, a Pulitzer Center-supported article

The Pulitzer Center champions the power of stories to make complex issues and inspire action. As we celebrate our 20th anniversary in 2026, this expansion reflects our continued commitment to connecting journalism with the next generation of engaged readers, writers, and leaders. Explore our history and impact.