NEHS invites student poets to rise as literary leaders through the Poets Laureate Award. This opportunity selects four outstanding NEHS members—no more than one per region—to serve as poetic voices for their communities and the Society at large. The Laureateship is more than a single award: it is a year-long journey of creative growth, public engagement, and mentorship with acclaimed poets.
As an NEHS Poet Laureate, you’ll write across powerful themes—from heritage and environment to literature, justice, and education—and inspire others by organizing at least one public reading in your school or local community. In return, you’ll receive national publication opportunities, individualized mentoring, and a trip to present your work at the Annual Convention.
Poet Laureate Mentors
Billie R. Tadros is an Associate Professor at The University of Scranton, where she teaches in English, Theatre, Women’s & Gender Studies, and directs the Health Humanities concentration. She is the author of several poetry collections, including Graft Fixation and Was Body. Her work has appeared in Black Warrior Review, Foglifter, Poem-a-Day, and many other journals and anthologies.
Elias Kerr is a Transmasculine poet who writes under the pen name E. Kerr. Their debut poetry collection, trans [re]incarnation explores the embodied trauma and transformation of a transgender speaker. Kerr’s work has appeared in Rappahannock Review, Another Chicago Magazine, and The Hollins Critic.
They received the inaugural 2022 Stemmler/Dennis LGBT& Award.
Awards
Winning students will be notified by email and will have their written work published on the NEHS Museletter blog. The Laureates will receive personalized mentoring from celebrated, professional poets. As the year unfolds, winning students will hone their craft under expert guidance—and then take the stage at the NEHS Annual Convention, where they’ll present their work in front of a national audience, with travel, lodging, and meals fully covered. Their submitted poems will be published in the NEHS Triangle journal.
Eligibility
Applicants must be NEHS student members enrolled in a school with an active NEHS chapter.
Application Requirements
- 1-page curriculum vitae (CV), highlighting literary and civic accomplishments and activities.
- A 250-word (max.) biographical statement. This should be a brief, third-person summary of the applicant’s background and why they are interested in the position, and explain how the Laureateship would positively impact their school and community.
- Poetry Portfolio: A collection of your five best poems (in a range of styles/formats).
Application Process
- All submissions must be made via the NEHS AwardSpring platform during the Fall Awards Cycle.
- All documents must be uploaded as Word documents (.doc/.docx).
- Applicants must complete demographic data questions prior to submitting their documentation.
- All student writers must include a 150-word (max.) third-person biography and high-resolution portrait photo.
- Applicants must agree that they are willing to provide a written report and photos detailing the impact the creative process and award has had on them, which can be used by NEHS to promote this and other opportunities in future years should they win an award.
Evaluation Criteria
All applications will be evaluated by at least three members of the NEHS evaluation team.
Poetry Portfolio:
- Quality of written text
- Variety of formats and structures
- Relevance of topic/ability to communicate issues of interest
General Application:
- Quality of evidence supplied in the CV
- Evidence of civic duty and participation in NEHS
- Quality of statement of interest
