New Hampshire poet Robert Frost encouraged teachers to “get poetry into the high schools.” We take his words seriously, and we know you do too. Poetry has been shown to help teens process complex emotions, reduce stress, increase self-expression, and build critical cognitive and literacy skills. According to the National Literacy Trust, 80.4% of youth who write poetry view themselves as strong writers overall. Maybe more importantly, students who write poetry have a stronger sense of self and bolder voices. We believe in elevating these voices, and have several programs intended to do just that:
The New Hampshire Teen Poetry Prize | $500 Prizes + Publication
Funded by the YAS Foundation and managed by the University of New Hampshire’s English Department, the New Hampshire Teen Poetry Prize was created to promote and honor excellence in writing at the high school level. Each year, students (ages 13-19) across New Hampshire are invited to submit their original poetry for a chance at publication, as well as three significant monetary prizes of $500 each. Grand prize winners will read their winning poems at the Nossrat Yassini Poetry Festival in April. Full guidelines here.
Winners:
2025-2026
- Chloe Zhang
- Hayley Doda
- Lucy Bailey
2024-2025
- Elizabeth Chung
- C.E. Victor
- Breanne Daley
2023-2024
- Leonard Chung
- Pearl Hoekstra-Toste
- Pranavi Vedula
The Nossrat Yassini Teen Poetry Festival
Each year we gather teens from New Hampshire schools for a full day of poetry fun: a reading with award winning poets; generative writing workshops; an open mic where students read their own work. The entire day is free. Sign up now for this year’s Teen Festival, taking place at UNH (Hamilton Smith Hall, 95 Main Street, Durham, NH) on May 20, 2027, or email yas.fest@unh.edu if you have questions.
The New Hampshire Teacher Fellowship
We know it all begins with teachers and the work you’re doing in your classrooms, so we want to support you. Tell us about your writing workshops, slams, zines, lunchtime haiku teams…all the creative ways you get students putting what they think and feel into words. Each year two teachers will receive a $1000 fellowship and be celebrated at the Nossrat Yassini Poetry Festival for the innovative ways you’re getting poetry off the page and into your students’ lives. Deadline to enter is March 1st.
Teacher Fellows:
2025-2026
- Kiara Krukoff
- John Mcdonough
2024-2025
- William Coleman
- Michael Mckilen
And a huge thank you to our first group of teacher fellows who helped us establish the New Hampshire Teen Poetry Prize and the Nossrat Yassini Teen Poetry Festival: John Bouton, Sarah B. Craig, Kiara Connelly, Dennis Magliozzi, Courtney Marshall, Kristina Peterson, and Jill Pinard.
