About the program

The Tustin Youth Poet Laureate is a program of the Arvida Book Company Foundation, fiscally sponsored by The Tustin Community Foundation, and is part of the National Youth Poet Laureate network championed by Urban Word. Each year, one young poet is chosen to represent our city, reading their work at community events and helping more people in Tustin discover what poetry can do.

This is not only about finding one winner. Every young person who applies becomes part of Tustin's youth laureate cohort, a community of young writers who can meet one another, share their work, and keep growing together long after the selection is made.

Who can apply

Applicants should be ages 13 to 19 and [live in Tustin / attend school in Tustin]. You do not need to have been published or won anything before. We care just as much about how you show up for your community as we do about your poems, so tell us about both.

How to apply

1. Fill out the application form. Fill it out online with your name, pronouns, contact information, date of birth, and the school you'll attend for the 2026-2027 school year.
2. Choose five original poems. Pick poems you are proud of. They can be on any subject and in any style.
3. Make your resume, or brag sheet. Include any civic engagement in or out of school, from literary and community work to formal or informal experience, along with organizing, volunteering, activism, or arts and education projects. Awards, new skills, and anything else you're proud of belong here too. This is your chance to brag.
4. Write your cover letter. Tell us about yourself and why you're applying, your leadership, service, or advocacy experience, and your interest in poetry and how you hope to make a positive impact on your community. Feel free to expand on anything from your resume.
5. Email a video and a photo. Send a video of yourself performing one of your poems and a high-resolution photo of yourself to tustinyouthpoetlaureate@arvidabookco.com.
6. Drop off your application by November 1, 2026. Bring your completed form, poems, resume, and cover letter to Arvida Book Co, 115 W Main St, Tustin, CA 92780.

Questions?

You'll find frequently asked questions and dates for upcoming application workshops at TustinYouthPoetLaureate.org. You can also stop by the bookstore or email us at tustinyouthpoetlaureate@arvidabookco.com. Teachers, librarians, and parents are welcome to reach out too if you know a young writer who should apply.