Youth Poet Laureate Class of 2024-25

The Youth Poet Laureate of Allegheny County is awarded to an artist between 13-18 years old who is passionate about their art and their communities. Applications are currently closed, and the new Laureate and Ambassadors have been announced.

Now in its fifth year, the Allegheny County Youth Poet Laureate, an initiative of The National Youth Poet Laureate Program, recognizes and celebrates our nation’s top youth poets committed to artistic excellence, civic engagement, and social impact.

Meet the Youth Poet Laureate (2024-25)

Oluwatobiloba Olaore has been a lover of all forms of literature since she was a little girl. And now, she uses poetry as a way to express and advocate for issues she is passionate about, such as social justice, identity, and mental health. When she’s not writing, you will find her devouring a book or listening to music.

Meet the Youth Poet Ambassadors (2024-25)

Vanshika Jain is a sophomore at Mt. Lebanon High School and a mixed-race, second-generation immigrant whose Indian and South African heritage profoundly shapes her work. She is the upcoming author of Letters to the Empire, a historical fiction novel exploring the personal struggles of individuals amidst British colonial rule. Alongside her novel, Vanshika has published two research papers examining how historical events contribute to the spread of epidemic disorders across generations.
Passionate about social justice and amplifying youth voices, Vanshika was recognized as the “Most Powerful Youth Advocate” by Save the Children for her impactful leadership as Student President of the DTCare charity. She has also been a dedicated dancer for over a decade, with expertise in African Tribal and Classical Kathak dance, bringing cultural depth to her artistic expression.

Linda Kong is a poet who is fascinated by apocalypses. In her
poetry, she often explores girlhood, diasporic identity, and human
responses to momentous change. A Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee, her work has been recognized in the 2024 Ralph Munn Creative Writing Anthology and the Ligonier Valley Writers Student Poetry Contest. Outside of writing, Linda is a co-editor-in-chief of her high school’s literary magazine and plays violin in the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Monroe Law is a poet who is really passionate about social activism and creative writing. In today’s age, the most powerful thing a person has is their voice. With globalization unlike any other generation, it’s so critical that young people use their resources and there voice to speak out about the injustices that happen daily. The way I choose to speak out is through writing. It paints the world in a more beautiful lens while talking about dismal truths. I want to use my pen (or more accurately keyboard) to talk about things that matter.

Sarah Voigt is a senior at Shady Side Academy. She began writing creatively when she was little and has since experimented with flash fiction, short stories, and poetry. Some of her recent literary projects include starting a seasonal poetry competition at her school and co-hosting “The Young Poets Society,” a podcast featuring young writers in Pittsburgh. Outside of writing, Sarah loves playing cello in the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, hanging out with her sister, and watching Audrey Hepburn films. As a Youth Poet Ambassador for City of Asylum, Sarah is excited to connect with other young people who share her love for literature.

The Youth Poet Laureate of Allegheny County receives:

a prize of $500
artistic support and paid performance opportunities during one-year term
entry into the National Youth Poet Laureate competition

To be eligible for the award, you must:

be a resident of Allegheny County during the current academic year
be 13-18 years old
demonstrate community involvement
demonstrate engagement with social justice causes

Meet the Panel of Judges (2024-25)

Hallie Dong is the 2023-24 Pittsburgh Youth Poet Laureate. Through writing, she explores the intersections of emotional health, culture, and youth civic engagement. Her work has been recognized by Princeton University, Anaphora Arts, the UPenn Kelly Writers House, Kenyon College, and JUST POETRY as a national winner, among others. When she’s not spontaneously writing poetry on bus rides, you can find her consuming her bodyweight in blueberries, running competitively, or thinking about rain.

Dmitra Gideon (they/she/he) currently serves as Director of Youth-Centered Programming and Community Collaboration at Write Pittsburgh. They are a founding member of Pittsburgh Family Liberation, an abolitionist collective focused on mutual aid, advocacy, and community care for families targeted by carceral systems. Their work can be found in PANK Magazine, new {words} press, 805 lit + art, and Santa Fe Writers Project Quarterly, among others. Their debut chapbook, Some Animals Eat Their Young, is forthcoming from Another New Calligraphy.

Gaia Rajan is the author of Killing It (Black Lawrence Press, 2022). His work has appeared in Best New Poets, the Best of the Net anthology, The Kenyon Review, THRUSH, Split Lip Magazine, diode, Palette Poetry, and elsewhere. Gaia is an undergraduate at Carnegie Mellon University, studying computer science and creative writing. He lives in Pittsburgh and online at @gaiarajan on Twitter or Instagram.