Iona Campbell has been named Worcestershire's Young Poet Laureate 2024.
She will take part in various projects throughout the year, have her work published, and perform at events and festivals.
The competition, a partnership between Worcestershire County Council and Severn Arts, attracted a record number of budding poets.
Read Iona's poem ‘Word Metamorphosis' on the county council's website at https://tinyurl.com/4d8cccps.
A total of 12 finalists were chosen from three age groups, each showcasing their poetic skills at The Hive in Worcester on April 28.
Among the contenders were Bethany Lunney, who was named champion in the Year 9, 10, and 11 age group, and Olivia Harvey who won in the Year 12 and 13 category.
The Worcestershire Young Poet Laureate contest is an annual initiative run jointly by Worcestershire Libraries and Severn Arts and is financially backed by Public Health Worcestershire.
The competition is designed to encourage young people to express themselves through poetry, providing a platform for them to showcase their work and gain recognition for their talent.
Hannah Perrott, assistant director for Communities for Worcestershire County Council, said: "The Young Poet Laureate event is a wonderful annual tradition in our county.
"Congratulations to Iona and to all the finalists for taking part in this year’s final.
"We're excited to see how Iona will spread the joy of poetry in Worcestershire and beyond."
Dr Lisa McNally, director of public health for the county council, said: "The Young Poet Laureate competition is a great opportunity for young people to unleash their creativity, build their confidence, and make new friendships.
"Congratulations to this year’s winners and to all our finalists for their fantastic performances."
Elaine Knight, arts director for Severn Arts, said: "This year we had our highest number of competition entries so just getting to the final was a huge achievement.
"The standard of entries was very high, and we would like to thank everyone for taking part this year.
"The competition provides a wonderful opportunity for young poets to creatively express their thoughts and views.
"We’re looking forward to working with our new Young Poet Laureate over the coming year."
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