Kent School to Host Young People’s Poet Laureate, Naomi Shahib Nye

Naomi Nye will visit Kent School for the second time on November 16, 2022. Nye is a prolific writer whose work touches all ages. On Wednesday, November 16 Ms. Nye will hold a Kent School Middle School assembly and conduct writing workshops with Middle School students during the academic day. At 4:00 p.m. Nye will lead a poetry reading and conversation at Kent School in the Library. The public is invited to attend this late afternoon event and admission is free. Please join us. Nye’s visit to Kent School is made possible by the Kudner Leyon Memorial Endowment.

Naomi describes herself as a “wandering poet.” For nearly 50 years she has been traveling the country and the world leading writing workshops and inspiring students of all ages. Nye was born to a Palestinian father and an American mother and grew up in St. Louis, Jerusalem, and San Antonio. Drawing on her Palestinian-American heritage, the cultural diversity of her home in Texas, and her experiences traveling in Asia, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and the Middle East, Nye uses her writing to attest to our shared humanity.

Naomi Nye is the author and/or editor of more than 30 volumes. Her newly released novel for young adults, The Turtle of Michigan, was selected as Kent School’s All Middle School Read this year. Students are excited to speak with her about the book. In her new collection of poetry Everything Comes Next, she treats childhood as not just a time of life but also as a sacred place. Her writing is poignant and familiar.

Nancy Mugele, Head of Kent School said, “It has been my privilege and great pleasure to know Naomi for many years and I have seen firsthand the way she engages students in the art of writing poetry and verse. Naomi has been described as an ‘open hearted singer who believes in poetry’s verbal power to bring us together.’ We are truly looking forward to her visit to inspire our community. We are so incredibly fortunate to have the Kudner Leyon Memorial Endowment at Kent School which supports authors, illustrators, journalists, and poets to share their expertise with our students, and with you.”

Kent School, located on the bank of the Chester River in historic Chestertown, MD, is an independent day school serving girls and boys from Preschool through Grade 8. Kent School is an inclusive school community designed for effective learning immersed in the natural environment. We are research-driven and committed to nurturing our students’ potential for active citizenship in a connected world through academic, artistic, athletic and moral excellence. For more information about Kent School visit www.kentschool.org or call 410-778-4100 ext. 110.

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