Follow the newly appointed West Yorkshire Young Poet Laureates on their creative journey!
This year we partnered with the Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin and National Poet Laureate Simon Armitage to inspire the next generation of young poets in West Yorkshire with a week of poet-led school activities and a competition to appoint the first-ever Young Poets Laureate for West Yorkshire. Entries have been judged in two categories (Year 4 and Years 9-10).
Meet our winners
We are delighted to announce the two winners of our first ever West Yorkshire Young Poet Laureate competition. Congratulations to Isabelle and Alina, and all the young poets who took part.
Our Year 4 category winner
Alina Brdar
Lydgate Junior and Infant school in Kirklees. Her winning poem, Mr Callaghan's Class.
Alina, 9, from Dewsbury, is a pupil at Lydgate Junior and Infant school in Batley, Kirklees. She loves her school and was inspired to write her poem, Mr Callaghan’s Class when she read The Puffin Book of Fantastic First Poems, some of which were about school life. In her spare time, Alina enjoys going to Crow Nest Park and Dewsbury Library. On poetry, Alina wants aspiring young poets to know that poetry is fun and you can write poems about anything! When she grows up, Alina wants to be a doctor.
Our Year 9 to 10 category winner
Isabelle Walker
Bradford Academy in Bradford. Her winning poem, Muse.
Isabelle age 15 from Bradford, is a year 10 student at Bradford Academy. Her poem, Muse is about her relationship with her mum, and she believes that with poetry, you shouldn’t feel like you need to hold back. Isabelle would like to use her confidence and ability to be a leader to help people in the future. She likes living in Bradford due to its incredible diversity, which enables a better understanding of other people and cultures.
Full list of our shortlisted young poets
Thank you to all the young poets in schools across West Yorkshire for taking part in our West Yorkshire Young Poet Laureate competition.
Meet the full list of shortlisted young poets:
Year 4 category
- Alina Brdar (winner) from Lydgate Junior and Infant School in Kirklees with her shortlisted poem is titled Mr Callaghan's Class.
- Malaika Kauser from Warley Road Primary Academy in Calderdale with her shortlisted poem, Rain vs Sun.
- Zia Alam from The Halifax Academy in Calderdale with his shortlisted poem titled Chocolate Cake.
- Ayana from Grove House Primary in Bradford with her shortlisted poem, Summer.
- Zayn Hussain from Victoria Primary School in Bradford. His shortlisted poem is titled Never Give Up.
Year 9 to 10 category
- Isabelle Walker (winner) from Bradford Academy in Bradford. Her shortlisted poem is titled Muse.
- Heshma Salimu from Bradford Academy in Bradford with her shortlisted poem, When the Lights Turn Off.
- Kiara Fletcher from Bradford Academy in Bradford with her shortlisted, In the Mix.
- Portia Mitchell from Hipperholme Grammar School in Calderdale with her shortlisted poem is titled The Fight.
- Safaa Khan from Carlton Bowling in Bradford with her shortlisted poem, My Hijab, My Pride.
- Sarah Chiedza Kandiyero from Dixons Unity Academy in Leeds with her shortlisted poem, Black Girl.
- Teddy Clarke from The Farnley Academy in Leeds with his shortlisted poem, My Angel's Masquerade.
- Christian Bediakoh from The Ruth Gorse Academy in Leeds with his shortlisted poem, A New Arrival.
- Safiyyah Abid from Woodkirk Academy in Leeds with her shortlisted poem titled 1923.
- Charlie Wightman Smith from Kettlethorpe High School in Wakefield with his shortlisted poem, Just Imagine.
- Leona is a student at North Huddersfield Trust School in Kirklees. Her shortlisted poem is titled I Don't Know!