IMLS Deputy Directors appoint five high school students to the nation’s highest honor for youth poets
WASHINGTON, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and its partners hosted the appointment ceremony for the Class of 2024 National Student Poets in the Justice Forum at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Nov. 19, 2024. IMLS’s Deputy Director of the Office of Museum Services Laura Huerta Migus and Deputy Director of the Office of Library Services Cyndee Landrum appointed five high school students to this prestigious year-long role.
“We are dedicated to celebrating the talent and promise of these young poets who were chosen because of their ability to inspire national excellence. Their voices are the heart of our mission at IMLS,” said Huerta Migus.
The ceremony featured remarks from Richard Blanco, Presidential Inaugural Poet; Dr. Horacio Sierra, a member of the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities; Chris Wisniewski, the Executive Director of the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers; and individual readings of original work by each incoming 2024 Student Poet.
Representing five geographical regions of the nation, the 2024 National Student Poets are:
Robert Gao (Midwest), University Laboratory High School, Champaign, IL.
Marcus Burns (Northeast), St Johnsbury Academy, St. Johnsbury, Vermont.
Nadia Wright (Southeast), Murrah High School, Jackson, Mississippi.
Sofia Kamal (Southwest), Rancho Solano Preparatory School, Phoenix, AZ.
Anya Melchinger (West), Mid-Pacific Institute in Honolulu, Hawai’i.
The National Student Poets Program (NSPP) is a partnership of IMLS and the nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, which presents the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, the longest-running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition program for the country’s young artists and writers.
The National Student Poets were selected from students in grades 10 and 11 who collectively submitted more than 30,000 works in the 2024 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards and received top honors in poetry. From this pool of National Medalists (in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards) recipients, 40 semi-finalists were identified as the most gifted young poets in their regions based on their originality, technical skills, and personal voice. They were invited to submit additional poetry and performance videos to distinguished jurors for the final selection of the five National Student Poets.
Throughout the year, the poets will serve as literary ambassadors and will share their passion for poetry, literacy, and the literary arts with their communities and throughout their regions. This will be done through activities that include service projects, workshops, and public readings. In addition, each poet will receive a $5,000 academic award.
To learn more about the impact and history of the NSPP, watch this short video and visit www.imls.gov/our-work/partnerships/national-student-poets-program.
The National Student Poets Program—a collaboration of IMLS and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers—strives to inspire young people to achieve excellence in their creative endeavors and promote the essential role of writing and the arts in academic and personal success. The program links the National Student Poets with audiences and neighborhood resources such as museums, libraries, and other community anchor institutions and builds upon the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers’ long-standing work with educators and creative teenagers through the prestigious Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. The program also receives additional funding from The Hearthland Foundation and the Academy of American Poets. More information on the NSPP can be found at www.artandwriting.org/NSPP.
The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a nonprofit organization, identifies teenagers with exceptional artistic and literary talent and brings their remarkable work to a national audience through the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Founded in 1923, the awards program is the longest-running, most prestigious initiative of its kind, having fostered the creativity and development of millions of young people through opportunities for recognition, exhibition, publication, and scholarships. During the past six years alone, students have submitted well over a million works of art and writing, and the program has provided more than $30 million in scholarships and awards for top participants. To learn more, visit www.artandwriting.org.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. In support of the intrinsic role that libraries and museums play in promoting informed, healthy, vibrant communities, IMLS awarded $266 million in total grant funding in Fiscal Year 2024. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.