Meet Nathan Cummings who was recently appointed as one of five National Student Poets and represents the program’s West Region!

Nathan Cummings, 18, read his first novel at age 3 and has been searching for ways to tell his own stories ever since. A senior at Mercer Island High School, he serves as editor-in-chief of the school’s literary magazine, Pegasus. Nathan is also a reader for two national teen literary magazines, Polyphony H.S. and The Adroit Journal. His experiences with Polyphony and Adroit, as well as his time spent at the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio, have introduced him to an amazingly close-knit and supportive network of teen writers.

National Student Poet Fun Fact: Nathan also participates in cross country and track and field at his school. His mile time is currently 4:28 seconds.

Be sure to Like and follow the NSPP Facebook page for your region’s Student Poet highlight this week! You can also view more information on our website, and read a blog post about the appointment ceremony that took place this weekend at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.

The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers partner to present the National Student Poets Program (NSPP), the country’s highest honor for youth poets presenting original work. Five outstanding high school poets whose work exhibits exceptional creativity, dedication to craft, and promise are selected annually for a year of service as national poetry ambassadors.