California

Teen Poet Laureate

Application

Application Requirements

1. A one-page letter of application

In one page, describe why you’d make a great Teen Poet Laureate for the state of California. Feel free to talk about what you write, why you write, and what poetry and the arts mean to you. Be creative! You can use this space to propose a project that you would undertake as TPL. There’s no wrong way to write your letter of application.

2. A one-page personal biography

In one page, tell your personal story. You can write about your family, your community, and what brought you to poetry. Who are you? Like the application letter, there’s no wrong way to tell your story.

3. Three original poems

Submit three poems you wrote that you feel best represent who you are and how you write poetry.

4. A one-page resume

For your resume, list any competitions, prizes, classes, programs, camps, or activities that you’ve participated in relevant to your writing. You can include an arts summer camp, a regional poetry competition, plays you’ve performed in, or school poetry electives. The resume should give us an idea of your involvement in the arts.

Be sure that all your contact information (name, phone, email, mailing address) is included on your resume!

5. Parent / guardian permission form

The parent/guardian permission form is required for all applicants under the age of 18 on November 30, 2025. The parent/guardian will need to fill out and sign this form.

Application Panel Review Process

A panel of three literary professionals will read all completed applications. The panelists will convene to discuss all applicants and then submit a ranking of their top three choices to the Governor’s Office. The Governor will make the final decision about the appointment.

Please note: If you are one of the finalists, you may be contacted by the Governor’s Office if they have questions about your application.

The review process is a confidential one. We know that waiting to hear after you submit an application is hard! We will let all applicants know the status of their applications as soon as we are able to do so, and we ask for your patience during the application review process.

Application