“The pen is mightier than the sword,” and the best way to prove it is by publishing your work. Many people write poetry, but their work may never be shown or heard by others. Student poets are now being called upon to participate in the creation of a program called the National Student Poets Program (NSPP) which is geared towards poets who want to share their work and have the change to win regional and national awards as well as scholarships.

In partnership with the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, NSPP was created. It was established for young poets and writers to have the opportunity to share their work with others and to have the chance to be one of the five selected to serve a year as a National Poetry Ambassador.

National poets will be chosen by a panel of national medalists and will share their work at poetry conventions. They will also be featured at the National Book Festival in Washington D.C. Students who are in seventh grade through twelfth grade can participate.

For more information or to register, go to www.artandwriting.org/NSPP. The deadline for the West Linn area is Jan. 6, 2012.