Emilia “Mia” Watka, a rising junior at The School for Creative and Performing Arts, will serve as Cincinnati’s 2025–26 Youth Poet Laureate.
The Youth Poet Laureate program, supported by the Tyrone Williams Poetry Fund, connects teen poets with workshops, performances and mentorship aimed at civic engagement and social impact.
Watka becomes the third young poet to hold the title, following Gabriel Walker of The Seven Hills School. WordPlay Cincy, which runs the program, selected Watka from a competitive field of teen writers for the clarity, vulnerability and commitment in her work.
A panel of experts in youth development, literary arts, education and community engagement chose Watka, who has earned honors from the National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and the Books by the Banks Writing Competition. She regularly contributed poetry to 1310 Literary Magazine from winter 2022 through winter 2024.
“I’m happy not only to share my own work, but to hear work shared with me — to be a mentor for others and to get mentored myself,” Watka said in a statement.
WordPlay Cincy will host an open mic night Sept. 12 to mark the start of Watka’s term.
Runner-up Zola Lyons and third-place finalist Katerina Kranias will also receive recognition and opportunities for further development. Lyons attends SCPA, and Kranias is a student at Cincinnati Country Day School.
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