Advertisement
Join us for an inspiring evening as five talented young poets compete for the title of Nebraska Youth Poet Laureate. This prestigious program, championed by Urban Word NYC and facilitated locally by the Nebraska Writers Collective, recognizes youth poets who demonstrate artistic excellence, civic engagement, and leadership.⏰ 7 p.m. Saturday, April 5
? Samuel Bak Museum, 2289 S 67th St., Omaha
RSVP: bit.ly/YPL-2025
***
About the Nebraska YPL Program:
Since 2021, the Nebraska Writers Collective has been empowering young voices through the Youth Poet Laureate program. The 2025 Nebraska Youth Poet Laureate will receive:
• A $1,000 prize
• Up to $2,000 towards a community engagement project of their design
• Year-long guidance from a creative and civic mentor
• A chapbook published under the NWC Press
• Opportunities for at least six public readings in Nebraska
• Eligibility to participate in regional and national Youth Poet Laureate competitions
This program seeks to reflect the diversity of voice and experience in our state, welcoming poets of all creative dispositions, styles, and backgrounds.
***
Meet the Finalists:
VICTORIA BOGATZ is a junior at Bellevue East High School. She is a poet, student journalist, and fiction writer whose work aims to capture complex emotions on current issues, mental health struggles, and snapshots of teenage life. Bogatz’s writing has been published in Best Nebraska Teen Writing 2024 and the 2021 Bow Seat Yearbook, among others. In 2022, her poem “A Bit of Solace” was set to music as part of the Opera Omaha Poetry & Music Project. When not writing, Bogatz likes to read, go on long runs, pet her dog, and plan environmental revolutions.
GABRIELLE BURNS is a junior at Millard North High School, where she is pursuing an International Baccalaureate diploma. Burns is curious, perceptive, and a nature lover, and she uses poetry and imagery from nature to express themes of resilience, introspection, and timeless beauty found in ordinary moments. Burns hopes to encourage readers to find silver linings and find a deeper, more meaningful connection with the world around them. Her work has been recognized by Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, the National Speech and Debate Association, Kidizenship, and the Nebraska Writing Project for the Poetry of Place Celebration. Engaged in activities like speech, Codes and Puzzles Club, and Science Olympiad, Burns values curiosity, creativity, resilience, and education. In her free time, she enjoys walks, all forms of the arts, and time with her pets and family, as well as exploring new places through travel.
RAVEN CRANNY is a junior at Millard South High School and is involved in many things including poetry and public speaking. Raven uses their experiences growing up in the Nebraska Suburbs as a strong theme in their poetry to conceptualize tough topics like existentialism and the struggles of domestic family life. They are a strong student leader and use their connections within their community to build a strong network of people who want to better their community. Raven has been elected to their school's Nationally-recognized student council of service-minded individuals for three years running and recently accepted the position of their Slam Poetry team's student co-captain while running their social media as well. In their free time, Cranny enjoys reading, camping with their family, and volunteering through their connections in the Millard area.
ALEX HAMRIC is a junior at Lincoln East High School. As an avid reader and activist, Hamric's poetry uses poignant word choice and intricate metaphors to explore themes of queerness, mental health, trauma, and politics. Hamric's poetry has been featured in the Lincoln East Muse, has placed 2nd at the Larksong Writer's Place, with their poem Lolita earning a perfect score, and has qualified for the 2025 NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing. They are an active member of the NSDA placing top 60 in the nation for extemporaneous debate. In their free time, Hamric enjoys music, research, teaching, and, of course, writing.
KATELYN GRACE OMER (she/her) is a sophomore at Millard North High School in Omaha, Nebraska. She is passionate about poetry, which has given her purpose and the strength to always give life another chance. Her vulnerable work aims to spread mental health awareness and inspire healing, hope and change for the better in others on a personal and community level. Other joys of her life include her loved ones, laughter, travel, show choir, cookies and good humans. Best Nebraska Teen Writing, the American Library of Poetry and others have published her pieces - which she is currently compiling into a chapbook!
Advertisement
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center, 2281 S 67th St, Omaha, NE 68106-2809, United States,Omaha, Nebraska
Tickets