Meet Sojourner Ahebee who was recently appointed as one of five National Student Poets and represents the program’s Midwest Region! 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.

Sojourner Ahebee, 17, attends Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, where she majors in Creative Writing. Though she was born in Cote d’Ivoire, West Africa, her current hometown is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sojourner’s favorite writers include Junot Diaz, Flannery O’Connor, Warsan Shire, and Ai.

Sojourner tells us in her personal video that she values poetry for 3 reasons:

• Poetry is an equalizer.
• Poetry bridges the gap between the subconscious and us.
• Poetry is a way to process traumatic experiences and extract beauty from them

What makes you value poetry in your life? Share them in the comments and on the National Student Poets Program Facebook!

Be sure to Like and follow the NSPP Facebook page for your region’s National 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.