The Carl Cherry Center for the Arts is pleased to announce the Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts Monterey County High School Poetry Awards 2024. The program was designed to recognize and promote excellence in high school poets and develop an interest in creative expression through the written word. For complete rules, use the following LINK.

A reading and ceremony honoring this year’s award-winning student poets will be held 2:00pm on Saturday, May 18th, at the Carl Cherry Center for the Arts, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel.

The program (formerly the Robert Campbell Monterey County High School Poetry Awards) was renamed last year to honor Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts, who provided inspiration and writing instruction to thousands of area high school students.

Cherry Center Poet-in-Schools:

Patrice Vecchione

Our teaching poet this year is Patrice Vecchione, the author of two collections of poetry and three nonfiction books, most recently My Shouting, Shattered, Whispering Voice: A Guide to Writing Poetry & Speaking Your Truth. Patrice has taught poetry in local schools and elsewhere for many years. patricevecchione.com.

Sponsors:

The Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts Monterey County High School Poetry Awards are held each year in conjunction with Thinking Out Loud, the Cherry Center’s annual high school art exhibition. Both programs are made possible through funding from:

Arts Council for Monterey County
Carmel Woman’s Club
Carmel-by-the-Sea Rotary
Community Foundation for Monterey County
Friends of Patrice Vecchione
Gibson Family Foundation
Monterey County Board of Supervisors
Monterey Peninsula Foundation
Pebble Beach Company Foundation
Yellow Brick Road Benefit Store