NEWS FLASH: Youth Poet Laureate Elani Spencer sends a poem to Wonju, Korea.
Read the poem (pictured below with Mayor Joe Cobb) here.
Teachers and youth leaders – Let’s engage your young people in some poetry!
We are currently shaping a process to select the 2026 Youth Poet Laureate. Youth serving organizations and teachers in the classroom can be a part of that process. Let us know how you’d like to be part of the program.
We are very happy to be hosting our Youth Poet Laureate Program in partnership with Roanoke Public Libraries, and the National Youth Poet Laureate Program curated by Urban Word, and
Our 2024 Youth Poet Laureate was Elani Spencer. Learn more about Elani and what she’s been up to on her page.
YPL Teacher and Organization Interest
Let’s chat about how we might work together to engage young people in poetry and shine the light on our youth poets and social change agents!
ELANI’S INVITATION TO
APPLY TO BECOME OUR NEXT YOUTH POET LAUREATE
About the Program
We are currently shaping a process to select the 2026 Youth Poet Laureate. Youth serving organizations and teachers in the classroom can be a part of that process. Let us know how you’d like to be part of the program.
We selected our first Youth Poet Laureate on October 21, 2023 at the Melrose Fall Festival at Melrose Plaza. Guests enjoyed performances, youth poetry workshops and the big announcement. To prepare for the program, Bryan “Harvest Blaque” Hancock of Soul Sessions received an Art Matters Grant to explore the potential. He and colleague Adria Cintron ran youth poetry workshops at Melrose Library in Summer 2023.
The Youth Poet Laureate is assessed based upon their performance of an original work. We look for young civic-minded poets whose quality of whose work is demonstrated through their performance and commitment to our community. The age range is from 13-19 years old.
Our panel reviewed cadence, delivery, and subject matter. Our program identifies powerful youth poets that have a history of artistic success, civic and community engagement, social impact, and youth leadership. The Roanoke Arts Commission and partners will now work to provide creative and leadership growth opportunities as well as outlets for speaking and performing at local and regional showcases.
The 2023-4 coaching and selection panel included:
– Bryan “Harvest Blaque” Hancock, Soul Sessions
– Adria Cintron, Soul Sessions
– Angelina Randolph, The Listening
– Douglas Pitzer, Strokes of Genius, LLC
– Dionte “Taye the Truth” Hall
– Meighan Sharp, Roanoke Arts Commission
– Douglas Jackson, City of Roanoke Arts & Culture Coordinator
Learn more about our inaugural Youth Poet Laureate, Elani Spencer.
Follow the Roanoke Youth Poet Laureate on Instagram.
Know a youth you think would be terrific as our next Youth Poet Laureate?
Have a request for an appearance by our Youth Poet Laureate? Contact us using the form below.
Who Can Apply
Thank you for your interest in the Roanoke Youth Poet Laureate program and competition.
Eligible participants are 13-19 years of age, have parental permission if under 18, and live in or are civically involved in the City of Roanoke.
Successful candidates will be engaged in the Roanoke and school communities and have demonstrated an interest in leading our community to a better future. Their poetry will reflect their world view and community involvement.
How to Apply
If you submit your poetry for consideration, please note the following guidelines:
Poetry MUST be at appropriate for ALL AGES, no poetry with profanity or graphic or sexual imagery will be considered.
All poetry submissions must be accompanied by contact information for the poet, as well as parent and/or guardian contact information for all participants under the age of 18. If no contact information is provided, poetry will not be considered for competition.
Submit three original poems. One submitted poem must reflect the theme, “The community I’d like to see.”
Poetry must be ORIGINAL work by the poet who submits.
Poems will be reviewed, and selected poets will be invited to read their poems on stage at a public event.
Our Youth Poet Laureate
If a poet is selected as the Youth Poet Laureate, they must agree to make appearances in Roanoke at events as well as provide more original works of poetry for those events.
The selected poet must be available for additional events and possible competitions at the regional and state level.
The 2024 Youth Poet Laureate was Elani Spencer.
Thank you for your interest! We can’t wait to get your poem and to celebrate Roanoke’s youth voices!
More information
Learn about youth poetry and recitation in these state and national poetry efforts.