The Academy of American Poets is pleased to announce that Rafael López, New York Times-bestselling illustrator and artist, and Nikki Grimes, New York Times-bestselling author and poet and recipient of the 2020 ALAN Award for outstanding contributions to young adult literature and the 2017 Children’s Literature Legacy Award, will judge the 2022 National Poetry Month Poster Contest for Students. The student’s winning artwork will be featured on the official National Poetry Month poster in 2022. The Academy will distribute 100,000+ free copies of the poster to classrooms, libraries, bookstores, community centers, families, and individuals nationwide in time for the April celebration. The winning student will receive $1,000 in cash and prizes and be featured in American Poets magazine and on Poets.org, which reaches millions of readers each year. The judges will also select a runner-up to receive Honorable Mention and a $250 cash prize.
Submissions to the 2022 competition will be accepted online from September 29 through November 15, 2021.