Santa Clara County
Youth Poet Laureate
Program
The Santa Clara County Youth Poet Laureate program is youth-centered program to celebrate literacy and self-literacy through poetry and connect young writers to opportunities for performances and community collaborations
Each year, we will accept applications from talented Santa Clara County writers (ages 13-18) to join a community of young poets. The Laureate earns an educational scholarship. The Laureate will, and all the Finalists are invited to, serve as ambassadors for literacy, arts and youth expression with ongoing opportunities for performances, projects, and peer support.
Every applicant will be invited to stay in connection with the SCC Youth Poet Laureate community.
2024 Santa Clara County's Youth Poet Laureate
SAGE COBB
Sage Cobb (they/them) is a disabled and queer poet from Los Gatos, California. They write poetry about their experiences with life as a high school student. Their work has been recognized by the Bay Area Creative Awards. They are a junior at Los Gatos High School, where their work has been published in the literary magazine. They are also a fiction writer, having written a couple short stories titled What Made It Okay, Potato Girl and A Hike For Lola and they are currently working on their first novel. They love to write poems about whatever they feel, listen to way too much music, and talk to people.
OUR PROGRAM
Get Started
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The Santa Clara County Youth Poet Laureate program works with local youth literary arts schools and organizations across the county to identify and celebrate exceptional youth poets who use their voice to inspire change.
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Our program model supports local youth in autonomous projects such as anthologies, poetry workshops, and open mics. Collectively launching local young poet-activists into community organizing, and creating opportunities and resources to expand and elevate platforms for these youth poet laureates.
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This program is supported by the Poetry Center San Jose and in partnership with the National Youth Poet Laureate Program.
and I think that's why I started writing it. Whether I need to sort through difficult things, or am mad about a political issue, or I just have any sort of emotion, poetry is my answer."
- Sage Cobb, Santa Clara County Youth Poet Laureate
"To me, poetry is the truest and rawest way to express emotions and thoughts
Address
Poetry Center San José
1650 Senter Road
San Jose, CA 95112-2599