Caribbean-based educational publisher Macmillan Education Caribbean has kicked off the second iteration of its signature regional New Branches Poetry Competition, with the contest opening officially to entries on June 8, 2026. Launched first in 2025, the popular creative initiative has returned this year with a revamped, expanded structure designed to draw broader participation from young learners and educators across the Caribbean region. Beyond providing a dedicated space for emerging creators to share their original work, organizers say the competition remains focused on advancing literacy, strengthening regional cultural identity, and nurturing a lasting passion for language arts across Caribbean educational communities.
The most significant update to the 2026 contest is the introduction of a new Upper Secondary division, extending eligibility beyond the three categories offered during the inaugural 2025 competition: Primary, Lower Secondary, and Teacher. This addition opens new creative opportunities for older secondary students who previously did not have a dedicated division to enter.
This year, competitors are invited to submit original poetry centered on a curated selection of Caribbean-focused themes, ranging from coastal life, local festivals, and regional cuisine to personal connections to one’s island or community, collective Caribbean voices, and personal explorations of journeys, ancestral roots, and belonging.
Revised submission guidelines have also been rolled out for the second edition. Primary school participants are required to submit poems between 8 and 20 lines long, while entries from Lower Secondary, Upper Secondary, and teacher participants must fall between 10 and 25 lines to meet eligibility requirements.
All 2026 entries will be evaluated by a panel of two respected regional literary figures: returning judge Julia Sander, a published author and educational trainer, and Mansha Hunte-Baptiste, a Saint Lucian author and educator who recently took part in Macmillan Education’s Caribbean Author Academy.
Beyond recognition, top-performing entries will earn a permanent spot in the 2026 New Branches poetry anthology, and all winning creators will receive complimentary printed copies of the collection to celebrate their achievement. The competition is scheduled to close for submissions on September 8, 2026, a date intentionally chosen to align with the observance of World Literacy Day.
Full contest rules, entry requirements, and submission portals are available for download via a dedicated blog post on the Macmillan Education Caribbean official website. The organization has also shared direct access links through SharePoint with schools and educational stakeholders across the region to simplify entry for interested participants.
Looking back to the 2025 inaugural competition, top honors went to three creators across the original divisions: Celine Rolle from St. Andrew’s Anglican Primary School in Exuma, The Bahamas took home the Primary prize; Shakeir Thomas of Antigua Grammar School in Antigua & Barbuda won the Secondary division; and Sasha Maynard, a teacher at Charles E. Mills Secondary School in St. Kitts & Nevis, claimed first place in the Teacher category.