President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama with our National Student Poets!

We have some exciting news: The National Student Poets Program is now on Facebook! Check out the following guest post by Scholastic Inc.’s Morgan Baden.

Poetry has a long, enchanting history, but it seems to be dogged by this myth that it’s stodgy, dull, or even – gasp – boring. But if you read poetry like these kids write it, be prepared for that myth to be shattered.

Last year, we announced the National Student Poets Program, a joint program with the President’s Committee on the Arts & the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. The NSPP is the country’s highest honor for youth poets presenting original work; through the prestigious Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, five students from across the country were named. Now, they – the 2012 Class of National Student Poets – are on the ground, making poetry go viral. Read More

The 2012 National Student Poets from left to right: Miles Hewitt, Lylla Younes, Claire Lee, Luisa Banchoff, and Natalie Richardson. Photo Credit: Patrick G. Ryan.

This edited post originally appeared on Scholastic’s On Our Mind blog on September 24. By Anne Sparkman.

It is rare that a person introduces themselves as a poet these days, but this past weekend I had the honor of meeting real, accomplished and beautifully articulate poets. Some were professional — I’m still in awe of Terrance Hayes after meeting him and his family — but five of them were teenagers. On Sunday, Luisa Banchoff of Arlington, VA; Miles Hewitt of Vancouver, WA; Claire Lee of New York City; Natalie Richardson of Oak Park, IL; and Lylla Younes of Alexandria, LA were appointed as the inaugural class of literary ambassadors for the National Student Poets Program (NSPP), the nation’s highest honor for young poets presenting original work. The program, a signature initiative of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, honors, promotes, and celebrates young people as makers and doers who can inspire their peers to achieve excellence in their creative endeavors. Read More

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. Read More

Check out this great post on the National Student Poets Program (NSPP) – a partnership among the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services to honor youth poets whose original work exhibits exceptional creativity, promise, and dedication to the craft – from the White House’s Office of Public Engagement blog on February 22, 2012:

“What you learn through reading and writing poetry will stay with you throughout your life. It will spark your imagination and broaden your horizons and even help your performance in the classroom.”

- First Lady Michelle Obama, Honorary Chair of the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities (PCAH), to high school students from across the country at a poetry workshop sponsored by the White House.

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Primary Role: As Manager of National Programs, Rebecca is responsible for many aspects of the national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program, including student and teacher customer service, writing adjudication, student and teacher notification, and national events. Rebecca also manages the National Student Poets Program (NSPP), a partnership between the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services honoring youth poets whose original work exhibits exceptional creativity, promise, and dedication to the craft.

Secret Fact: Rebecca grew up in London, England where she lived with her family until she was 14.

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From L to R: Kat Hendrix, Director of National Programs & Partnerships and Virginia McEnerney, Executive Director

Guest post from the Alliance’s Executive Director Virginia McEnerney

Yes, it’s true: Kat and I were invited to a holiday party at the White House! Because we’ve been working with so many awesome Washington-based organizations on the National Student Poets Program, we’ve made some good friends in our nation’s capital, and one of them arranged for us to get this invitation.

We headed to the White House on the evening of Dec. 2. After passing through a few security checkpoints we entered the famous building. Everybody who works at the White House is very gracious and warm, so we were welcomed and guided up the stairs to the Central Hall where the U.S. Marine Band was playing. Read More