A WYTHALL teenager has been left ‘speechless’ after becoming the youngest ever Young Poet Laureate for Worcestershire.
Rachel Evans, who is 13-years-old, saw off strong competition from ten finalists to take the 2018 title with her poems ‘NATO’ and ‘Prisoner: DF8421’.
The judges included outgoing Young Poet Laureate, Oakley Flanagan, who was alongside current Birmingham Poet Laureate, ‘The Poet with Punch’ Matt Windle and Gail O’Malley from Worcestershire County Council, Children Families and Communities Directorate.
Currently a student at Woodrush High, Rachel said: “The final was unbelievable. I met so many different people whose poems were about such different things that I didn’t want to leave by the end of it.
“I heard my name and I was speechless, I am the youngest ever Poet Laureate and that smashed my doubts completely.
“I am so excited to be added to a list of such successful and passionate young poets and hope that I am, someday, as successful as they have been.”
The runners up were Sophie Green aged 17 from Redditch, Dani Ncube aged 15 from Bromsgrove and Heather Rodgers aged 16 from Pershore.
Coun Lucy Hodgson, Cabinet Member for Localism and Communities added: “The young people of Worcestershire, entrants and finalists should be really proud of their efforts in this year’s competition.
“The event continues to go from strength to strength, and always brings a smile to the faces of all involved.”
The ‘Word Up’ competition is open to anyone aged between 13 and 19 living in, or going to school, college, university or a youth club in the county.
This year’s competition required poets to submit two poems, one on the subject of ‘Freedom’ and another on a subject of their choice.
For more information please contact Natalie McVey on 07876 144905.
