Delta State University to host Youth Poetry Festival for National Poetry Month

Cleveland, MS (03/31/2025) — Contact: Christy Riddle FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Phone: (662) 846-4336

Email: criddle@deltastate.edu

Delta State University to host Youth Poetry Festival for National Poetry Month

CLEVELAND, Miss. - Delta State University will welcome young poets from across the state on April 1 as part of the Mississippi Poetry Project's Youth Poetry Festivals. This event, held in celebration of National Poetry Month, will bring together more than 100 elementary, middle, and high school students to engage in poetry workshops, hear from distinguished poets, and celebrate their creative achievements.

The festival at Delta State is one of two being hosted in Mississippi, with the second taking place at the University of Southern Mississippi on April 2. Both events mark the culmination of this year's Mississippi Poetry Project, a statewide K-12 poetry initiative led by Mississippi Poet Laureate Catherine Pierce. Nearly forty schools participated in the program during the fall, encouraging young writers to explore the power of poetry.

Pierce, whose tenure as state poet laureate has focused on expanding poetry opportunities for youth, is thrilled to interact with student poets during the festival.

"Mississippi has so many talented and passionate young writers," said Pierce. "I can't wait to celebrate and write with these students."

The festival will feature writing workshops led by professional Mississippi poets, a keynote address by National Youth Poet Laureate Stephanie Pacheco, and the distribution of an anthology featuring the students' work from the Mississippi Poetry Project.

The festivals are part of a larger week-long celebration of poetry organized by Pierce and Emily Liner, founder of Friendly City Books and its nonprofit, the Friendly City Books Community Connection, a special project of the CREATE Foundation. Support from the Mississippi Arts Commission and the Mississippi Humanities Council has made it possible to offer these events at no cost to participating students and teachers.

"This is such a special opportunity to recognize the creativity of students across Mississippi," said Liner. "We hope to inspire them to continue developing their craft as writers by introducing them to professional poets."

C.T. Salazar, DSU University Archivist, Instructional Services Librarian, and Assistant Professor at Delta State, has played a key role in planning the Cleveland event and will lead a student workshop during the festival. "I'm excited to see so many poets come to the Delta to participate in the poetry festival," said Salazar. "And I'm grateful the Bologna Performing Arts Center is offering their facilities to help make the festival possible."

For more information about the Youth Poetry Festival at Delta State University, please contact C.T. Salazar at csalazar@deltastate.edu.

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