New York, NY (November 20, 2019)— The Academy of American Poets is pleased to announce the ten finalists of the 2020 National Poetry Month Poster Contest for Students. 180 high school students from across the country responded to an open call for submissions, and ten students from ten different states have been named finalists. The winning student, to be determined by Academy Chancellor Emeritus Juan Felipe Herrera and renowned cartoonist Alison Bechdel, will have their artwork featured on 100,000 posters that are distributed to schools, libraries, and bookstores nationwide for the April 2020 celebration. In previous years, the poster has featured artwork by award-winning illustrators and designers Maira Kalman, Roz Chast, and Chip Kidd, among others.
The finalists are:
Lauren H., Grade 9, New Hampshire
JaQuan A., Grade 11, Texas
Samantha A., Grade 10, Vermont
Curtis M., Grade 11, Indiana
Serena Z., Grade 9, New Jersey
Lucy S., Grade 12, South Carolina
Kai Huie., Grade 12, New York
Laixi S., Grade 10, California
Joyce Z., Grade 12, Florida
Faith N., Grade 11, Pennsylvania
View the artwork of the ten finalists of the 2020 National Poetry Month Poster Contest for Students.
The winning student will receive $500, a $500 gift certificate to Blick Art Materials, and art supplies from Sakura Color Products of America. The student will also be featured on Poets.org and in American Poets magazine.
About National Poetry Month
National Poetry Month was inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996 and takes place each April. Over the years, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world with schools, publishers, libraries, booksellers, community centers, and poets celebrating poetry's vital place in our culture. The special month of programs is made possible by more than 70 poetry partners and sponsors, as well as the National Endowment for the Arts.
About the Academy of American Poets
The Academy of American Poets is the largest membership-based nonprofit organization fostering an appreciation for contemporary poetry and supporting American poets. The organization produces Poets.org, the world’s largest publicly funded website for poets and poetry; originated and organizes National Poetry Month; publishes the popular Poem-a-Day series and American Poets magazine; creates and distributes Teach This Poem and other award-winning resources for K-12 educators; hosts an annual series of poetry readings and special events; and awards the American Poets Prizes. In addition, the Academy of American Poets coordinates a national Poetry Coalition working together to promote the value poets bring to our culture and the important contribution poetry makes in the lives of people of all ages and backgrounds. This year the organization has awarded more funds to poets than any other organization, giving a total of $1,250,000 to poets at various stages of their careers.