Photo of Daniel Umemzie (above)

Cedar Falls High School senior Daniel Umemzie has been named one of four finalists competing for the National Youth Poet Laureate award – a top honor for aspiring young poets in the U.S.

Umemzie, who has been writing poetry for seven years, first became involved when he joined the Cedar Valley Youth Poet Laureate program, sponsored by the North American Review – the nation’s oldest literary magazine, which is housed on the UNI campus.

"The biggest thing for me was the plethora of opportunities it brought, and the opportunity to connect with other youth on the subject of poetry as a tool for change. The thing I’m most proud of is founding the Iowa Youth Poetry Council. I started it because I kept meeting young poets who had no connection to each other, kids doing incredible work in isolation, not knowing there were others like them just a few counties over. That’s what makes it different from the other work I’ve done. It’s not just about what I can accomplish while I’m here. It’s about what continues after I leave,” said Umemezie. 

He received word this winter that he is the Midwest Regional Finalist for this year's National Youth Poet Laureate award. He will now compete against three other finalists from around the nation for the title of National Youth Poet Laureate, with the winner being announced in April.

The National Youth Poet Laureate program works with local youth literary arts organizations across the United States to identify and celebrate exceptional youth poets who use their voice to inspire change. When North American Review Editors Jeremy Schraffenberger and Rachel Morgan realized there were few youth poet laureate programs in the Midwest, despite its rich writing tradition, they established the Cedar Valley Youth Poet Laureate program. 

“Daniel’s talent is incredible, and we wish him well at nationals. His success and the success of the program confirm our experiences of working with young, accomplished writers right here in the Cedar Valley. We established the program to give youth a place to have their voices heard and to develop civil leadership skills,” said Morgan.

In 2024 the CVYPL named Lamya Pratchett of Waterloo as the 2024 inaugural youth laureate, sparking the beginning of something truly transformative. In 2025, the program crowned its second poet laureate, Daniel Umemezie. 

When applying to become the next National Youth Laureate, applicants are required to submit a civic bragsheet, a document detailing their involvement within their community to cultivate change and demonstrate civic responsibility, alongside their writing. To Daniel, civic leadership looks like this: “I am currently the Iowa Student Poet Ambassador in addition to my role as the Iowa Youth Poet Laureate. Through these positions I’ve had the opportunity to help grow youth literary programming across Iowa. This has meant working with Iowa All-Reads to bring poetry into communities that don’t always have access to it, leading workshops in small towns and cities across the state, and meeting young writers who are hungry for a space where their work matters,” said Umemeize. 

When asked if Daniel had any advice for future students interested in the Youth Poet Laureate program, he stressed the importance of taking opportunities when they come. 

“First words of advice: DO IT. Jump in. Whether you feel you are not up to the role or you think you’re the most qualified for the role. You will grow either way. Growth is the biggest thing I have received from this program, and it might be something you get as well, or it might be something else,” said Umemezie. 

The commencement ceremony to name the 2026 Laureate will be held April 18, 2026.