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REGIONAL & NATIONAL APPLICATIONS

The National Youth Poet Laureate Competition

Our program identifies powerful youth poets that have a history of artistic success, civic and community engagement, social impact, and youth leadership. Over 70 partner cities are participating in our national network of youth poet laureates and have the opportunity to submit to the National Youth Poet Laureate competition.

The National Youth Poet Laureate competition is an initiative of Urban Word, in collaboration with local youth literary arts organizations across the country; and championed by the leading national literary and arts organizations, including the Academy of American Poets, the Poetry Foundation, the Library of Congress, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Parks Service, and many more.

Becoming A Laureate

The National Youth Poet Laureate submissions are open October 21-November 30, 2024. There will be four Youth Poet Laureate Regional winners chosen, one from each of the 4 regions in the nation, selected by a national panel of judges. These Regional winners are the National finalists for the National Youth Poet Laureate title. All submissions will be judged using the same rubric, and candidates with the highest numbers ranked will be chosen to represent that region. Each network member organization is allowed to submit as many former local Youth Poets Laureates that fit into the qualifying age group of ages 13-19.

The candidate must have held the Youth Poet Laureate title through an official National Youth Poet Laureate program partner in their city, county, or state to apply.

The selections for the National Youth Poet Laureate competition will be announced in early January.
Each of the 4 regional winners will also be named as finalists for the National Youth Poet Laureate title. Regional Youth Poet Laureates will also receive:

  • All-expense paid trip to perform at the National Youth Poet Laureate commencement in April

  • An artwork featuring their likeness and poetry.

  • A personalized plaque

  • $1,000 cash prize

  • A cohort experience with an exclusive writing workshop and mentorship

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APPLICATIONS

APPLY BY REGION

Please apply directly to your region by clicking on the appropriate button below. Prepare to submit demographic and contact information about the poet and YPL license holding organization, 3 poems and a Civic Brag Sheet in one document, a 3 line bio and high resolution photo of the poet.

For your application file please organize it with poems first + THEN CIVIC BRAG SHEET. The one document should be titled  with full name, region, and application year.

(You must have been named a Youth Poet Laureate in your county, city, or state and currently be ages 13-19 to apply!)

Please contact National Youth Poet Laureate Director Dr. Camea Davis at camea@urbanwordnyc.org with any questions or concerns.

Applications are open October 21, 2024- December 3, 2024.

Expect announcements of winners in early January 2025.