High school senior in Montgomery County named as the country's national youth poet laureate.
Graduating Senior Evan Wang Named National Youth Poet Laureate
Evan Wang, a senior at Upper Merion Area High School, has been selected as the 2025 National Youth Poet Laureate, marking a significant achievement in his academic and artistic career. Wang, 18, from King of Prussia, is the first male to hold this title in the program's nine-year history.
Wang, who has always been fascinated by languages, discovered his passion for poetry in middle school. He delved into the works of esteemed poets such as Savannah Brown, Ocean Vuong, Louise Glück, and Ada Limón to conjure his own verses.
It was during the COVID-19 pandemic that Wang decided to share his poetry more widely, and the impact was profound. After an incident involving a racial slur being hurled at him in a local park, Wang wrote a six-minute-long poem, "The Blood We Inherit, The Blood We Spill." This powerful piece sparked a forum on the Asian American experience within his school district and initiated wider recognition of microaggressions.
Inspired by Amanda Gorman, the inaugural national youth poet laureate, Wang set out to create a similar program in his home county of Montgomery, where he successfully established the Montco Youth Poet Laureate program in 2022. During his term, he worked with over 14 libraries to host open mics and writing workshops for hundreds of teenagers.
As he embarks on his new chapter as the national youth poet laureate, Wang plans to champion poetry as an interdisciplinary art form and encourage young people to engage with it in their daily lives. He sees poetry as a rallying call, raising awareness for various issues and serving as a form of resistance. Moreover, he believes that poetry ties directly to democracy, fostering engagement and enabling change within the systems.
For aspiring young writers, Wang offers a simple yet profound piece of advice: "Stay honest and stay vulnerable." By embracing vulnerability, he explains, one can create truly impactful and resonant poetry that speaks to the hearts of many.
Local residents and supporters can follow Wang's journey and engage with his work through various platforms, including social media and local events. As a nonprofit organization that relies on reader support, the organization powering this website encourages financial contributions to continue its fact-based, in-depth journalism and information dissemination.
Evan Wang's journey in education-and-self-development, as a graduating senior and the newly appointed 2025 National Youth Poet Laureate, showcases how one person can use poetry as a tool for change, not just in their lifestyle, but also in the general-news context of diversity and inclusion. His passionate poetry and advocacy work, such as establishing the Montco Youth Poet Laureate program, demonstrate the transformative power of poetry in fostering engagement and promoting social change.
