RCHS Seeks Next Poet Laureate

Beginning with the 2022 school year, Rockbridge County High School inaugurated a first-of-its-kind program: poet laureate.

Each year, juniors are encouraged to submit their works of poetry for consideration. The program is intended to promote poetry as a voice for students. Each year the RCHS poet laureate is a rising senior selected by a committee of teachers, administrators, and the sitting poet laureate.

Students are encouraged to make submissions now. It is hoped that, even if not selected for the position, students will find and benefit from a platform for their artistic expressions. Interested juniors should submit their poems for consideration to Lisa van Ravenswaay in the school counseling office by March 17.

Previous poet laureates were Gianna McKeeman, 2022; Ainsley Carter, 2023; and Lilyan Thomas, 2024 -The following is a 2025 poem written by the current poet laureate, Lilyan Thomas entitled “Thoughts from a Journalist.”

Every waking hour, the clock ticks slowly Having the whole world around me reading it like a book Sitting reading the world as it is Wondering what article will make the final hit. Waiting, watching. Then the big picture comes Will this be the one? Having my fingers glide against the keyboard One word at a time As I write this poem on how journalists think One true question will always form in my mind. Is this the one that will take me places? Or the one that tells me to keep trying?