Michelle Obama unveils student poet program

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First lady Michelle Obama speaks at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, Hawaii in this November 14, 2011 file photo. REUTERS/Hugh Gentry

First lady Michelle Obama speaks at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, Hawaii in this November 14, 2011 file photo.

Credit: Reuters/Hugh Gentry

Mon Nov 21, 2011 12:44pm EST

(Reuters) - First Lady Michelle Obama on Monday helped launched a new arts program to pick five student poets from high schools who will spend one year promoting poetry through readings, workshops and other activities.

The National Student Poets program is created by the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, of which the first lady is honorary chair, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services through a partnership with nonprofit group, the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers.

"What you learn through reading and writing poetry will stay with you throughout your life," Obama said in a statement. "It will spark your imagination and broaden your horizons and even help your performance in the classroom."

The five National Student Poets will be chosen from a pool of teenagers who have already received a national Scholastic Art & Writing Award for poetry. The selection panel will be comprised of poet Terrance Hayes, "Kenyon Review" editor David Lynn, Alice Quinn of the Poetry Society of America, and the Library of Congress' Robert Casper.

More than 185, 000 students apply annually for the Scholastic Art & Writing Award and since 1923, winners have included teenagers such as Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Joyce Carol Oates and others.

The first five National Student Poets will be announced in summer 2012, and will each receive academic awards of $5,000. They will serve as literary ambassadors in their communities and encourage kids to develop writing and creative skills.

"The National Student Poets work will give greater visibility to the voice and perspective of today's youth," said Virginia McEnerney, executive director of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers.

The President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities focuses on increasing creativity in schools and engaging students in being innovative. The Institute of Museum and Library Services makes federal grants aimed at creating strong libraries and museums.

(This story corrects David Lynn title and makes clear program creators, paragraphs 1-4)

(Reporting and Writing by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)
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Comments (2)
jmgray wrote:
David Lynn edits The Kenyon Review, not Ploughshares.

Nov 21, 2011 10:44am EST  --  Report as abuse
monasfreespirit wrote:
I think this is a beaitiful thing poetry can build up a inner self you didn’t know you had. I was very fortunate to write and publish 3 books, Like I would say God used the dumb and the lame and I am proof of that, My name is Ramona Lopez Perez I only went up to the 10th grade before dropping out because my mother got brest cancer and I needed to work to help her out and my two little brothers. I can not spell or read very well it takes me time to acheave my goal. I published through publish america 1. Soul Reflections 2. A Child’s Secret 3. Life as you percieve it. I feel and stress to many children to stay in school and try to assure them all dreams can come true, lokk at me God waited till my old age to gift me the key to the world into which I share my poetry with now, before it was shared just within family and friends. Michelle I love the fact you understand who we really are and to where some of our children can from,there is so much talent out there and not enough faith in oneself to make a dream come true. Best of luck to the winner and may the other know they are and always will be winners too, just the fact they have the gift of poetry within them.

Nov 23, 2011 11:47am EST  --  Report as abuse
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