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Shangri-La Hou is one of five National Student Poets. The recent John Burroughs graduate and Lake St. Louis resident explores the natural world and how people interact in — and with — it. Hou also discusses what she's experienced in her role as a young literary ambassador and how poetry is a powerful tool for self-expression.
Students from the National Student Poets Program discuss their work and the importance of poetry in the lives of young people today. The National Student Poets Program is the nation's highest honor for young poets (grades 10–11) creating original work. Annually, five students are selected for one year of service, each representing a different geographic [...]
Students from the National Student Poets Program discuss their work and the importance of poetry in the lives of young people today. The National Student Poets Program is the nation's highest honor for young poets (grades 10–11) creating original work. Annually, five students are selected for one year of service, each representing a different geographic region of the country. The Program believes in the power of youth voices to create and sustain meaningful change, and supports them in being heard. Four of the five 2021 National Student Poets joined us for this program: Aanika Eragam, Kevin Gu, Kechi Mbah, and Sarah Fathima Mohammed. The following conversation originally took place May 15th, 2022 and was recorded live at the American Writers Festival. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HOME About the 2021 National Student Poets: Aanika Eragam is a senior at Milton High School in Milton, Georgia who serves as the 2021 National Student Poet for the Southeast. Through her mother's bedtime tales of South Indian mythology, Aanika was first exposed to the power of storytelling in connecting her to her cultural heritage, unlocking foreign perspectives, and exploring history. Since then, she's written poetry and creative nonfiction about culture, family, girlhood, and body image. Aanika serves as the 2021 Atlanta Youth Poet Laureate and the Editor-in-Chief of her high school literary magazine The Globe. Kevin Gu is a Chinese American from Boston and the 2021 National Student Poet of the Northeast. His work has been included in Rattle, The National Poetry Quarterly, Ember Journal, and The Eunoia Review among others. On his off days, he enjoys hunting for underrated boba shops and eating cold watermelon. Kechi Mbah is a senior at Carnegie Vanguard High School and a Houston native. She first found a love for poetry when she stumbled upon a YouTube video of a Brave New Voices slam competition in the fall of 2019 and has been performing and writing poetry ever since. Her poetry explores many avenues from making the known strange to chronicling her experiences as a Nigerian-American and the histories of her people. She currently serves as the 2021 National Student Poet of the Southwest and her work can be found in Blue Marble Review, The Incandescent Review, elementia, and elsewhere. Sarah Fathima Mohammed, daughter of Indian Muslim immigrants, is the 2021-22 National Student Poet representing the West Region, the nation's highest honor for youth poets. She writes poetry sourced in grief, faith, and longing because, for her people, these emotions are inherited. When she travels back to her hometown in Kumbakonam, India, Sarah sits in circles with girls at the mosque, reading Safia Elhillo and Fatimah Asghar's anthology of Muslim voices, Halal If You Hear Me. When she is not writing, Sarah loves long morning walks with her family and listening to music by Yuna.
Every year, thousands of award-winning high school poets submit original works to the National Students Poet Program. If selected, they serve 1 year as youth poetry ambassadors, spreading poetry in their communities, workshops, festivals, galas and poetry conferences. In this episode of Planet Classroom, we talk with the five high school students chosen to serve 1 year as the 2020 Class of National Student Poets. It is the United States' highest honor for youth poets presenting original work.
Every year, thousands of award-winning high school poets submit original works to the National Students Poet Program. If selected, they serve 1 year as youth poetry ambassadors, spreading poetry in their communities, workshops, festivals, galas and poetry conferences. In this episode of Planet Classroom, we talk with the five high school students chosen to serve 1 year as the 2020 Class of National Student Poets. It is the United States' highest honor for youth poets presenting original work.
Every year, thousands of award-winning high school poets submit original works to the National Students Poet Program. If selected, they serve 1 year as youth poetry ambassadors, spreading poetry in their communities, workshops, festivals, galas and poetry conferences. In this episode of Planet Classroom, we talk with the five high school students chosen to serve 1 year as the 2020 Class of National Student Poets. It is the United States' highest honor for youth poets presenting original work.
"Exploring grief through creativity provides a really valuable experience. Students can learn more about themselves through the creation process. And it does take a certain level of bravery to submit the work for evaluation because that might not necessarily be the reason why you created it. But I invite creative students who are coping with grief to do that very thing, which is to submit their work to us. By participating in the program, by opting your work in for the New York Life Award, you expand the community of teens openly discussing and coping with grief." - Tendo Mutanda, Scholastic Art & Writing Awards This week I talk with Tendo Mutanda and Darius Atefat-Peckham about the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Tendo is with the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, which runs the program, and Darius is one of the student winners for poetry, and is winding up his term as one of just five National Student Poets before heading off to college in the Fall. Darius lost his mom and brother in a car accident when he was just three years old, so we talked about his experience with grief and what poetry has meant to him over the years, including how his poetry style has shifted over time to incorporate joy along with grief. Tendo and I talked about the awards program for both artists and writers, including who can participate, and how. We also talked about the New York Life Award, which creates a space for teens to explore grief in their art or writing. I hope you enjoy my discussion with Tendo Mutanda and Darius Atefat-Peckham.
Each year, five National Student Poets are chosen from a pool of outstanding writers, grades 10-11, who have received a national Scholastic Art & Writing Award for poetry. Help us celebrate National Poetry Month with a conversation and some poetry reading with this year's National Student Poets. Guests Camila SanMiguel Annie Castillo Kinsale Hueston Juliet Lubwama Ben Lee
"A poem begins with a lump in the throat; a homesickness or a love sickness." — Robert Frost This week, we're celebrating Poetry Month by talking about the power and joy of poetry. First, we hear from renowned novelist, essayist, and poet Calvin Trillin, who shares some of the inspiration behind his new poetry collection for children, No Fair! No Fair!. We also talk with two high school students, Maya Eashwaran and Gopal Raman, who were honored as National Student Poets in 2016, as well as an educator, Adam Couturier, who speaks about the wonderful poetry program in his Massachusetts school district. Additional resources: More information about No Fair! No Fair! by Calvin Trillin and illustrated by Roz Chast Learn more about the National Student Poets Program Meet the other 2016 National Student Poets, and hear more from Maya Eashwaran and Gopal Raman Read a blog post from Adam Couturier about his district's We Read Big initiative Guests: Calvin Trillin is a journalist, humorist, poet, novelist, memoirist, and food writer. A long-time staff writer at The New Yorker, he is also The Nation's “deadline poet.” He has published thirty books, many of them bestsellers. His books include Remembering Denny, About Alice, Tepper Isn't Going Out, and Dogfight: The 2012 Presidential Campaign in Verse. In 2012, he won the Thurber Prize for American Humor. He lives in New York. Maya Eashwaran is a senior at Milton High School in Milton, Georgia, and a 2016 National Student Poet. In addition to writing poetry, she is also an avid musician. Gopal Raman is a senior at St. Mark's School in Dallas, Texas, and a 2016 National Student Poet. In addition to writing poetry, he edits for his high school newspaper and chairs the St. Mark's Literary Festival. Adam Couturier is the 6-12 Humanities Curriculum Coordinator for Southbridge Public Schools in Southbridge, Massachusetts. Mr. Couturier was a 2016 Pioneer Valley Teacher of Excellence award winner as a result of his work in Springfield, MA. He served as a teacher, Social Studies Department Chair, and as a Middle Years Programme Coordinator at an International Baccalaureate school. In addition to this, he wrote curriculum for the National Parks Service at the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, Springfield Public Schools, and now at Southbridge Middle and High Schools. Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan Produced by Emily Morrow
"A poem begins with a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, or a love sickness." — Robert Frost This week, we're celebrating Poetry Month by talking about the power and joy of poetry. First, we hear from renowned novelist, essayist, and poet Calvin Trillin, who shares some of the inspiration behind his new poetry collection for children, No Fair! No Fair!. We also talk with two high school students, Maya Eashwaran and Gopal Raman, who were honored as National Student Poets in 2016, as well as an educator, Adam Couturier, who speaks about the wonderful poetry program in his Massachusetts school district. Additional resources: More information about No Fair! No Fair! by Calvin Trillin and illustrated by Roz Chast Learn more about the National Student Poets Program Meet the other 2016 National Student Poets, and hear more from Maya Eashwaran and Gopal Raman Read a blog post from Adam Couturier about his district's We Read Big initiative Guests: Calvin Trillin is a journalist, humorist, poet, novelist, memoirist, and food writer. A long-time staff writer at The New Yorker, he is also The Nation’s “deadline poet.” He has published thirty books, many of them bestsellers. His books include Remembering Denny, About Alice, Tepper Isn't Going Out, and Dogfight: The 2012 Presidential Campaign in Verse. In 2012, he won the Thurber Prize for American Humor. He lives in New York. Maya Eashwaran is a senior at Milton High School in Milton, Georgia, and a 2016 National Student Poet. In addition to writing poetry, she is also an avid musician. Gopal Raman is a senior at St. Mark’s School in Dallas, Texas, and a 2016 National Student Poet. In addition to writing poetry, he edits for his high school newspaper and chairs the St. Mark’s Literary Festival. Adam Couturier is the 6-12 Humanities Curriculum Coordinator for Southbridge Public Schools in Southbridge, Massachusetts. Mr. Couturier was a 2016 Pioneer Valley Teacher of Excellence award winner as a result of his work in Springfield, MA. He served as a teacher, Social Studies Department Chair, and as a Middle Years Programme Coordinator at an International Baccalaureate school. In addition to this, he wrote curriculum for the National Parks Service at the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, Springfield Public Schools, and now at Southbridge Middle and High Schools. Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan Produced by Emily Morrow
Each year, five National Student Poets are chosen from a pool of outstanding writers, grades 9-11, who have received a national Scholastic Art & Writing Award for poetry. Listen as we celebrate National Poetry Month with a conversation and some poetry reading with this year's National Student Poets.
We celebrated National Poetry Month (April) by inviting the 2015 class of National Student Poets to talk about poetry and their year of service as literary ambassadors, as well as read some of their original work.
Each year, five National Student Poets are chosen from a pool of outstanding writers, grades 9-11, who have received a national Scholastic Art & Writing Award for poetry. In this episode we celebrate National Poetry Month with a conversation and some poetry reading with the 2015 National Student Poets.
The National Student Poets Program returns to the National Book Festival and will confer the nation's highest honor for youth poets presenting original work. Outstanding high school poets whose work exhibits exceptional creativity, dedication to craft and promise are selected annually for a year of service as literary ambassadors for poetry, encouraging a wide range of youth to explore and develop new creative capabilities. For captions, transcript, and more information visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=6115
A presentation of National Student Poets at the 2012 Library of Congress National Book Festival. For captions, transcript, and more information visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=5826.