Catholic middle school students encouraged to create poems about Our Lady of Guadalupe

The Catholic Literary Arts Middle School Sacred Poetry Contest opened earlier this year with the theme highlighting Our Lady of Guadalupe. The deadline is Feb. 20, 2026. The artist of the drawing is Betsy Farr. (Art courtesy of Catholic Literary Arts)
HOUSTON — Published Catholic poets are visiting middle school classes in the Archdiocese to share how students can successfully compete in the Catholic Literary Arts (CLA) contest, with this year’s theme focusing on the patroness of the Americas.

CLA president and founder Sarah Cortez, a published author, said the organization also has developed “lesson plans” on its website www.catholicliteraryarts.org. Those plans can help teachers and students dive into age-appropriate poems and develop their own creativity, along with instructions on submitting poetry for the 2026 Archdiocesan Middle School Sacred Poetry Contest. 

“It’s a big investment of our time and energy, but it’s worth it to develop very robust, strong writing skills for our students,” Cortez said.

She previously visited and taught five middle school classes of about 80 sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students for a day at St. Anne Catholic School in Tomball at the invitation of Silvia Gonzalez, St. Anne’s curriculum director. 

“We discussed how we perceive and what we believe,” Cortez said. “I asked them to think of their favorite places to be, like on the soccer or baseball field, standing in line at a buffet, or watching the sun set in their backyard. Then they realized that Jesus is with them at all those places.”

Gonzalez said she invited CLA to St. Anne in Tomball “because this contest provides students with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of faith while developing critical academic skills.”

The instructor said the poet’s brainstorming sessions with each of the classes and the use of visual imagery guided students to make connections with poetry and their everyday lives while discovering their own authentic voices.

“Her visit was an excellent way to kick off the writing process and help students develop new skills. Afterward, our teachers continued guiding students as they refined and completed their poems,” Gonzalez said.

The CLA Middle School Sacred Poetry Contest opened earlier this year for submissions on Nov. 1 and ending with the latest deadline Feb. 20, 2026, with this year’s theme highlighting Our Lady of Guadalupe. Her feast day is Dec. 12, commemorating her appearances to Juan Diego en route to Mass in Mexico in 1531, as she asked for a church to be built there on the hillside. As proof to the bishop, she arranged roses on Juan Diego’s tilma or cloak, which he opened in front of Church officials who saw the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe imprinted on the tilma.

Tamara Nicholl-Smith, a published Catholic poet who visited St. Mary’s Catholic School in League City and True Cross Catholic School in Dickinson, said, “The students were very responsive! It’s so important to pay attention to children’s creativity.”

Nicholl-Smith said her newest book, “Saints of Sleeping and Waking,” will be published by Wiseblood Books in 2027, her first full-length collection of poems after being featured in anthologies and journals.

“I wrote my first poem when I was nine years old, and it was published in the school magazine, so the seeds were planted,” she said. “That’s why we all need to nourish and confirm our children’s efforts.”

Mazie McCoy, Ed.D., superintendent of Catholic schools, said she is deeply grateful that middle school students in the Catholic schools of the Archdiocese have the opportunity to participate in the Sacred Poetry Contest. “This initiative not only inspires their creativity but also challenges them to reflect on their God-given talents, instilling confidence and a sense of purpose,” she said. “Thank you to Sarah Cortez and the Catholic Literary Arts organization for partnering with our schools and making this meaningful experience possible.” ​