Northwest Florida Poet Laureate
IN 1986, the United States Library of Congress began a tradition of naming a National Poet Laureate. That same year, Emerald Coast Writers began naming the Poet Laureate for Northwest Florida.
The Poet Laureate of Northwest Florida is an area resident honored by Emerald Coast Writers for their record as a published poet and whose work is regarded by the community as representative of this region.
Starting in 2026, Emerald Coast Writers expanded to include a Youth Poet Laureate. In this role, we encourage a young member of our community to guide the next generation of writers by sharing their own prose and writing skills.
Our Poet Laureates
From 1986 to the modern day, each NWFL Poet Laureate had a collection of poetry published by Emerald Coast Writers. At least one copy of each of these publications can be found at the Dr. Francis Patrick Cassidy Literary Resource Center in the Pensacola Little Theatre.
Below we have listed each Northwest Florida Poet Laureate comemmorated by Emerald Coast Writers.
The Youth Poet Laureate Program
The Emerald Coast Youth Poet Laureate Program celebrates talented young poets who demonstrate artistic excellence, leadership, civic engagement, and a commitment to making a positive impact through their words.
In 2008, Urban Word founded the nation's first Youth Poet Laureate Program in New York City. Since then, the program has grown into a national network of local and statewide partners dedicated to elevating young writers and helping them use poetry to inspire change.
Starting in 2026, Emerald Coast Writers partnered with Urban Word to create a Youth Poet Laureate of Northwest Florida. The National Youth Poet Laureate Program fosters a love of writing among our younger community members, a mission we gladly support.
Youth Poet Laureates
The following Youth Poet Laureates earned their positions by:
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Demonstrating skill, originality, and a strong personal voice in their poetry
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Showing leadership and involvement in their schools or communities
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Caring about issues affecting others and believe their voices can make a difference
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Preparing to serve as positive representatives of young people and the literary arts
By earning the title of Northwest Florida Youth Poet Laureate, they also have the opportunity to apply for the Regional Youth Poet Laureate title and potentially advance for consideration as the National Youth Poet Laureate, provided they meet Urban Word’s current age and eligibility requirements.
Below, we have listed each Youth Poet Laureate of Northwest Florida commemorated by Emerald Coast Writers.
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