Guest post by Alliance staffer Rebecca Rutherfurd, National Programs Manager

As you may recall, the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers along with its partners, the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, launched the National Student Poets Program (NSPP) back in November of last year. NSPP, the country’s highest honor for youth poets presenting original work, will select five outstanding high school poets through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards whose work exhibits exceptional creativity, dedication to craft, and promise for a year of service as national poetry ambassadors.

We are thrilled to announce that we are nearing the end of the selection process and will be introducing the five National Student Poets, one from each region of the country, at the Library of Congress’ National Book Festival in Washington, DC this September 21-23. The poets will participate in training sessions and gala festivities, receive a plaque commemorating their year of service as national youth poetry ambassadors, and be recognized at a ceremony in their honor. Throughout their term, National Student Poets will participate in curated online “hangout” events with published poets and present their work at events in their region during National Poetry Month in April.

Please check back at the end of September to meet this year’s National Student Poets!