Poet's Own Voice is a new event to Tulare County and is structured in a similar manner to Urban Word NYC. This event was created to help inspire students to create their own poetry and share it with others in our county. Our hope is students will want to recite their original works in front of an audience at the Poetry Live event.
Students will submit five original pieces of work. These works do not have a minimum or maximum length and the only requirement is they must be school-appropriate (no gratuitous violence or inappropriate language). Students may compete in two levels of competition in this event:
Showcase Competition
After submitting their work, a panel of judges will review and score the poems based on a provided rubric. After scoring, each student's top pieces will be determined. All poems will then be ranked based on scores from the judging rubric. The top three pieces will be awarded at the Poetry Live event in February.
Performance Competition
Students will recite their two of their poems live at the event in front of an audience and panel of judges. Judges will score the recitation based on a provided rubric. The recitation and written scores will be combined to determine the final score for that student. The top three students will be awarded at the Poetry Live event in February and receive a cash award. The top student will be crowned the Tulare County Youth Poet Laureate.
School Registration Deadline
December 6, 2024
Online
Student Registration Deadline
January 8, 2025
Online
Media Release Form due
February 7, 2025
Poet's Own Voice Showcase
February 7, 2025
340 E. Oak, Visalia
Event Contacts:
Paula Terrill
Student Event Coordinator
(559) 651-0565
Kate Stover
Staff Development & Curriculum Specialist - Visual and Performing Arts
Event Sponsors
Tulare County Youth Poet Laureate
Tulare County Office of Education is excited to announce the launch of the Tulare County Youth Poet Laureate program! This program is meant to inspire, create social change, and to be enjoyed by audiences across the county, and perhaps, the country and the world. As a partner with the National Youth Poet Laureate Program, we hope youth poets use their voices for change.
We will run the Youth Poet Laureate program in conjunction with the Poet's Own Voice event. Students that are interested in participating in the Youth Poet Laureate program will indicate this on their registration and submit the required information to participate. Entrants will be required to submit their written work and participate in the recitation showcase at the event.
The laureate earns an honorarium as part of their award. The laureate will serve as an ambassador for literacy, arts, and youth expression with ongoing opportunities for performances, projects, and peer support.
2024 Tulare County Youth Poet Laureate
Alondra Gutierrez, Mission Oak High School, Tulare
