Congratulations to the Top Finalists

The top five finalists, including the Riverside County Teen Poet Laureate, were announced at the reception and poetry reading on November 14, 2023.

Teen Poet Laureate – Bibinaz Nami

1st Runner Up – Sophia Martin

2nd Runner Up – Zanae Demery

Poet of Note – Vincent Do 

Poet of Note – Lauren Cruz De Armas

Teen Poet Laureate Finalists 2023-2024

 Name  School
 Jenna Alame  Mt. San Jacinto College
 Caitlin Austin  Ramona High School
 Anousha Baqui  John F. Kennedy Middle College High
 Mckayla Binette  Western Center Academy
 Rahm Braslaw  Riverside STEM Academy
 Raquel Cole  Banning High School 
 Lauren Cruz De Armas  La Quinta High School
 Diego De La Cruz  Vista Murrieta High School
 Zanae Demery  Liberty High School
 Vincent Do  Rancho Verde High School/Middle College HS
 Kyrie Dulaney  Vista Murrieta High School
 Brooklyn Emery  Temecula Valley High School 
 Andrew Esparza  Orange Vista High School
 Adrian Estrella Marquez  Palm Desert High School
 Logan Fogle  Western Center Academy
 Juliet Gonzalez  Mt. San Jacinto College
 Hejira Hadley  Palm Desert High School
 Christina Horton  Vista Murrieta High School
 Kassi Ibrahim  John F. Kennedy Middle College High School
 Naida Israelson  Western Center Academy
 Kendra Johansen  Western Center Academy
 Teyona Jones  Western Center Academy
 Lily Rhys Jones  Palm Valley School 
 Riley Lovell  Vista Murrieta High School
 Sophia Martin  Temecula Valley High School
 Anna Moroz  Murrieta Mesa High School
 Alissar Nahhas  Arlington High School
 Bibinaz Nami  John W North High School
 Gabriela Ordaz  Western Center Academy
 Laila Phillips  Rancho Verde High School/Middle College High School
 Taylor Pope  Centennial High School
 Damian Renteria  Western Center Academy
 Natalia Roman  Eleanor Roosevelt High School
 Michelle Solis  Hillcrest High School

Selected Regional Teen Poet Laureate, runners up and finalists will be published in a limited-edition commemorative chapbook. Selected entries will also be published in the All-Teen issue of Inlandia: A Literary Journey, the online literary journal of the Inlandia Institute.

2023-2024 Teen Poet Laureate Reception

Updated on 11/15/2023 3:35 PM

Here's what participants had to say about their 2023 Riverside County Teen Poet Laureate experience:

“The process is almost effortless, and you'll be glad you tried it.”
“This was an amazing and uplifting experience, and I would 100% recommend you participate.”
“Poetry is a universal language, being able to share and be acknowledged

TEEN POET LAUREATE COMPETITION RULES:

  • Poems may be in any style or form but may not exceed a total of ten pages.
  • Poems must be the original creative work of the poet. Plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification from this and all future Teen Poet Laureate opportunities.
  • Single or double spaced, 12 pt Times New Roman preferred unless the poem’s form dictates the format (example: blackout poetry, erasures, visual poetry, etc.).
  • No gratuitous violent or sexual content. No hate speech. No slander. If you must ask, you probably already know the answer. (But if you’re not sure, do ask.)

IF SELECTED, POET:

  • Must be available for up to four public appearances throughout the county. (Transportation available upon request.)
  • Must be enrolled in high school at time of submission.
  • Must attest that their work is solely their own original creative work.

Information for next year's competition will be posted here as it becomes available.

For additional information, please contact Louisa Higgins, Administrator, The Arts | lhiggins@rcoe.us