Junior Madison Rojas was announced as the Youth Poet Laureate of Dallas on April 6.

Rojas will also receive a $1,000 scholarship, a personalized plaque and will be featured in the Express Yourself! Finalists’ Anthology later this year.

To qualify for the award, you must write three original poems, provide the name of an adult who can vouch for you, and submit a bibliography entailing extracurriculars, other published works, and academic achievements. Lastly, you must write a statement explaining why you should be chosen as the Youth Poet Laureate.

“I am so honored to be named Youth Poet Laureate. I couldn’t believe it when I first got the email saying I had been chosen,” Rojas said. “I am excited to do a lot of work within the Dallas community to uplift the voices of local poets.”

Rojas will hold the title of Youth Poet Laureate for a year. Her responsibilities will include filming a promotional video to inspire other students to apply to the program, providing a public reading at least once between the months of May and August, and attending the Express Yourself! Award Ceremony.