National Student Poets Program
The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers presents the National Student Poets Program, the nation’s highest honor for young poets (grades 10–11) creating original work.
Annually, five teens are selected as youth poetry ambassadors, each representing a different geographic region of the country. The Program believes in the power of youth voices to create and sustain meaningful change and supports them in being heard.
How to Apply
To be considered for the National Student Poets Program, teens must enter poetry to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Teens in grades 10–11 who receive a Gold Key in the poetry category may be selected to apply for the National Student Poets Program. Nominees are then asked to complete an additional application.
In the Community
Each year, National Student Poets act as youth poetry ambassadors, spreading poetry to their communities through individual outreach, utilizing local resources and connections created through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards’ regional partners.
Chapbook
The Class of 2025 chapbook is available to view online or download as a PDF.
Special Thanks
The National Student Poets Program is funded, in part, by Dav and Sayuri Pilkey, The Hearthland Foundation, Amazon Literary Partnership Poetry Fund, and the Academy of American Poets.