Youth Laureate Florida - celebrating Florida's Top Youth Poets

About the Program

Our Mission

Founded in 2009, Youth Laureate Florida - celebrating Florida's Top Youth Poets has been serving the youth of our community for over 15 years. The Youth Poet Laureate program is dedicated to identifying and celebrating exceptional young poets who use their voices to inspire connection and resonance. By collaborating with local literary arts organizations, we aim to elevate these poet-activists, providing them with platforms to amplify their messages and engage in civic discourse. Our mission is to foster a community where youth can express themselves and contribute meaningfully to the cultural landscape of Florida.

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Our Program

Our Mission

Our program works in partnership with local literary organizations across Florida to launch Youth Poet Laureate initiatives in various regions. We support these local programs by providing resources, mentorship, and opportunities for young poets to develop their craft, expressiveness, and leadership skills. Through workshops, performances, and community engagement, we empower youth to become ambassadors of the literary arts, promoting literacy, creativity, and civic engagement throughout the state.

By providing a platform for Florida’s most talented youth poets, this program helps elevate their voices and inspires creativity and positive change. It is also part of the broader National Youth Poet Laureate network, where Florida’s Youth Poet Laureates are recognized on a national level.

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Becoming a Partner

Youth Laureate Florida collaborates with local literary organizations across Florida to launch Youth Poet Laureate programs in their regions. If you're interested in launching a local program in Florida, we offer support to facilitate and galvanize the relationships needed to not only launch this program but also to secure the platforms needed to champion youth writers. Learn more about becoming a partner and joining our national network of Youth Poet Laureate programs.

Becoming a Laureate

Submissions for the Florida Youth Poet Laureate competition are open annually from February 1-March 31. The competition is open to poets ages 13-18 who have been nominated and recognized by their school or local community or have otherwise had their poetry published.

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Florida is divided into the following regions:

Northwest
North Central
Northeast
West Central
Central
East Central
Southwest
Southeast

A Youth Poet Laureate will be selected from each of these regions by a panel of distinguished judges based on artistic achievement, civic engagement, and social impact. All submissions will be evaluated using the same rubric, and the highest-ranked poets from each region will be chosen to represent their respective regions.

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SELECTION OF THE FLORIDA YOUTH POET LAUREATE

From among the eight regional winners, a single Florida Youth Poet Laureate will be selected and honored. The esteemed title will be awarded to the poet who best exemplifies artistic brilliance, presents a compelling body of work, and demonstrates commitment to the craft and promoting poetry. The Florida Youth Poet Laureate will receive:

An official title and recognition as the Florida Youth Poet Laureate
An invitation to represent Florida at state and national literary events
A professional portfolio featuring their poetry and artistic work
A $2,000 cash prize
Mentorship and professional development in literary arts and creative leadership.

The Florida Youth Poet Laureate is announced in September of each year.

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SELECTION OF THE NATIONAL YOUTH POET LAUREATE

The Florida Youth Poet Laureate will automatically be submitted to the National Youth Poet Laureate competition, where they will compete with other regional winners from across the United States. Submissions will be judged by a national panel, and each regional winner will have the chance to earn the prestigious National Youth Poet Laureate title.

The national finalists will receive:

An all-expense paid trip to perform at the National Youth Poet Laureate commencement in April
An artwork featuring their likeness and poetry
A personalized plaque
A $1,000 cash prize
A unique cohort experience, including writing workshops and mentorship

This is an exciting opportunity for Florida’s young poets to represent the state’s vibrant literary culture on a national stage, while building lasting connections and gaining recognition within the literary community.

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