2019 National Student Poets Appointment Ceremony
The National Student Poets were selected from students in grades 10-11 who submitted more than 20,000 works in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and received top honors in poetry. From this pool of National Medal recipients, 35 semi-finalists are identified as the most gifted young poets in their regions, based on their originality, technical skills, and personal voice, and were invited to submit additional poetry and performance videos to distinguished jurors for the final selection of the five National Student Poets.
The following five high school students have been chosen from among thousands of award-winning poets to serve for a year as National Student Poets, the nation’s highest honor for youth poets presenting original work. Representing five geographical regions of the nation:
- Alondra Uribe (Northeast), from the Bronx, New York
- Christian Butterfield (Southeast), from Bowling Green, Kentucky
- Julie Dawkins (Southwest), from Edmond, Oklahoma
- Salma Mohammad (Midwest), from Fishers, Indiana
- Taylor Fang (West), from Logan, Utah
Webcast
Watch the full event on the IMLS YouTube channel.
Read the full announcement on the IMLS website.
The Student Poets will be appointed by the Director of IMLS, Dr. Kathryn K. Matthew, on July 17, 2019 at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. The ceremony will feature remarks by critically-acclaimed poet Joy Harjo, as well as a performance by nearly twenty young NSPP alumni.
About the National Student Poets Program
The National Student Poets Program is a collaboration of IMLS and the nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, which presents the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the nearly century-old program known for its recognition and celebration of the country’s most creative teens. Annually, five students are selected for one year of service as literary ambassadors. The program links the National Student Poets with audiences and neighborhood resources such as museums, libraries, and other community anchor institutions.
Learn more about the program and the 2019 Class of National Student Poets. You can also follow the National Student Poets on the program's Facebook page.