Valley teen wins prestigious National Student Poets honor for 2024
Sep 26, 2024, 10:59 AM
Sofia Kamal, who attends Rancho Solano Preparatory School in Scottsdale, is a National Student Poet for 2024. (Institute of Museum and Library Services and Pixabay Photos)
(Institute of Museum and Library Services and Pixabay Photos)
PHOENIX – A Valley teen who has a way with words was named one of five National Student Poets for 2024 on Thursday.
Sofia Kamal, who attends Rancho Solano Preparatory School, a private school in Scottsdale, will receive a $5,000 academic award for the honor. She also will serve as a literary ambassador over the next year through activities such as service projects, workshops and public readings.
The National Student Poets Program (NSPP) is a partnership of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists & Writers (AYAW).
Being named a National Student Poet is the highest honor in the U.S. for a youth presenting original work, according to the IMLS.
“We are proud to recognize the Class of 2024 NSPP poets, whose remarkable talent and artistry will shine throughout their year of service, inspiring communities across the nation,” Cyndee Landrum, IMLS acting director, said in a press release. “We celebrate the collective energy of libraries, museums, schools and communities, working together to create safe harbors where young artists can thrive and flourish.”
How are National Student Poets selected?
The NSPP winners are chosen from works submitted to the AYAW Scholastic Art & Writing Awards contest.
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Students in grades 10-11 submitted more than 30,000 entries for the poetry category of this year’s contest.
Forty semifinalists from each of five regions were invited to submit additional poetry and performance videos. A panel of jurors then picked a National Student Poet from each region.
Kamal was the Southwest winner. Her poem “Gas Station” looks to the moon and finds it “lobed with/desire left unanswered, its edge rusted over/by centuries of eyes.”
The other National Student Poets for 2024 are Robert Gao of Champaign, Illinois (Midwest); Marcus Burns of St. Johnsbury, Vermont (Northeast); Nadia Wright of Jackson, Mississippi (Southeast); and Anya Melchinger of Honolulu, Hawaii (West).
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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