“My Maui” Poetry Contest Kicks Off for All Students K-12

The 2021-2022 Haʻikū Hoʻolauleʻa and Flower Festival’s new poetry contest “My Maui,” is now open for submissions from Sept. 1-29, 2021. The contest is presented by the Haʻikū Community Association and is open for students on Maui from grades K-12.

Public, private and homeschool students are invited to submit poems with the theme “What makes Maui home to them.”

HCA said they hope that this annual contest will inspire students to think creatively about their beautiful island home while learning more about poetry. Reading and hearing each other’s poems will be a wonderful part of this.

With a grant from the Maui County Office of Economic Development, HCA is able to offer an outlet for creative thinking and community connections without being in person for the annual Haʻikū Ho’olaule’a and Flower Festival.

The insights that the Maui keiki have about their island home, what it means to them and how they connect to it will bring a fresh outlook to this place we all call home, said HCA in a public statement.

There will be two categories to enter in, “rhymed poems” or “free verse.”

Grade Divisions are as follows:

• Kindergarten – Grade 2
• Grades 3 – 5
• Grades 5 – 8
• Grades 9 – 10
• Grades 11 – 12

Prizes from local vendors will be awarded to winners and runners-up from each division.

For more information about the contest, please call 808-385-3176 or visit haikumaui.org or haikuhoolaulea.org. You may also email haikucommunitypm@gmail.com for questions or to submit any entries.