Riverside County Teen Poet Laureate
Are you a teen or young adult with something to say? We want to hear your voice!
The Riverside County Teen Poet Laureate Competition invites teens and young adults to share their voices, creativity, and mastery of poetry.
Submissions are closed.
Celebrating Riverside County's Young Poets!
2026 Teen Poet Laureate Finalists and Poets of Note
Congratulations to the talented young poets who participated in the 2026 Riverside County Teen Poet Laureate Competition! We are proud of every student who shared their creativity and unique voice through poetry. Our panel of judges carefully reviewed each submission, and we are excited to recognize this year's outstanding young poets!
Winning Entries
Congratulations to our 2026 Teen Poet Laureate Finalists! Each finalist will receive a Certificate of Recognition from Riverside County and have one of their poems published in this year's Teen Poet Laureate chapbook. Finalists will also receive two complimentary copies, with an additional copy placed into circulation at the county library nearest their home or school.
| Student | School | District |
| Alena Gutierrez | Valley View High School | Moreno Valley USD |
| Allana Beckman | Valley View High School | Moreno Valley USD |
| Bonnie Gonzalez | Western Center Academy | Hemet USD |
| Brandon Ordonez | Valley View High School | Moreno Valley USD |
| Briana Martinez | Valley View High School | Moreno Valley USD |
| Bridgette Johansen | Western Center Academy | Hemet USD |
| Caitlin Angelique Buensuceso | Centennial High School | Corona-Norco USD |
| Clarabelle Alvarez | Great Oak High School | Temecula Valley USD |
| Genesis Bautista | Valley View High School | Moreno Valley USD |
| Hailynn Robinson | Western Center Academy | Hemet USD |
| Hennessy Parra | Valley View High School | Moreno Valley USD |
| Ixchel Martinez Vazquez | Desert Hot Springs High School | Palm Springs USD |
| Joey Lopez | Valley View High School | Moreno Valley USD |
| Johnte Bouldin | Valley View High School | Moreno Valley USD |
| Jonah Zurer | John W North High School | Riverside USD |
| Joy Leon | Mission Vista Academy | Beaumont USD |
| Layla Arciniega | Valley View High School | Moreno Valley USD |
| Lilith Haag | Valley View High School | Moreno Valley USD |
| Makayla Castaneda | Western Center Academy | Hemet USD |
| Matthew Munguia | Canyon Springs High School | Moreno Valley USD |
| Nicole Phan | Palm Desert High School | Desert Sands USD |
| Savannah Wishon | Valley View High School | Moreno Valley USD |
| Vixen Brown | Valley View High School | Moreno Valley USD |
| Zack Romo | Valley View High School | Moreno Valley USD |
2026 Poets of Note
Six exceptional finalists have been selected as our 2026 Poets of Note, representing the top candidates for the title of Riverside County Teen Poet Laureate!
These six poets will be invited to present a poem selected by our panel of judges at the Teen Poet Laureate Awards Ceremony on October 30, 2026, where we will announce this year's Teen Poet Laureate, Runners-Up, and Honorable Mentions.
| Student | School | District |
| Atika Anjum | Canyon Springs High School | Moreno Valley USD |
| Aymarie Daughtery | Rancho Verde High School | Val Verde USD |
| Charlie Johnson | Valley View High School | Moreno Valley USD |
| Kiley Devore | Western Center Academy | Hemet USD |
| Kimiko Kitayama | Canyon Springs High School | Moreno Valley USD |
| Nassani Gooden | Western Center Academy | Hemet USD |
Join Us in Celebrating Young Voices!
All students selected for recognition will receive additional information and an invitation to the October 30, 2026, Awards Ceremony via email.
We look forward to celebrating the remarkable literary talent of Riverside County's young poets!
Renee Rojanaroj
Arts Administrator
rrojanaroj@rcoe.us