Riverside County Teen Poet Laureate

Guidelines

Multiple poems may be submitted in any style or form, but may not exceed a total of ten pages per author.

Poems must be the original creative work of the poet. Plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification from this and all future Teen Poet Laureate opportunities.

Single or double-spaced, 12 pt Times New Roman preferred unless the poem’s form dictates the format (example: blackout poetry, erasures, visual poetry, and the like).

Poems must be appropriate for audiences of all ages and may not include gratuitous violence or sexual content, hate speech, or slander.

Requirements

Teen Poet Laureate candidates must be available to attend:

Teen Poet Laureate Reception
Friday, October 30, 2026
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Grier Pavilion
900 Main Street
Riverside, CA 92501
(The Grier Pavilion is located on the rooftop (7th Floor) of Riverside City Hall.) 

• Must be enrolled in high school or adult school at time of submission.
• Must attest that their work is solely their own original creative work. [Plagiarism or use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will result in immediate disqualification and ban from all future consideration.]
• If selected, the Teen Poet Laureate may be invited to participate in additional events and opportunities throughout the region during their term. Attendance at these events is expected whenever possible.

Finalists

The top finalists will be asked to submit a one-minute video of themselves reading a portion of their selected poem chosen by the panel of judges.

All winners, finalists, and honorable mentions will have their selected poetry published in a limited-edition commemorative chapbook.

Selected entries may also be published in the All-Teen issue of Inlandia: A Literary Journey, the online literary journal of Inlandia Institute.

This program is a partnership between Riverside County Office of Education and Inlandia Institute with program support from Riverside County Library System and the City of Riverside.

Poetry will be judged by a diverse panel of professional, published poets.