Announcing the 2023 River of Words Competition

The annual River of Words Youth Poetry and Art Competition hosted by the Center for Environmental Literacy and the Kalmanovitz School of Education is underway and accepting entries from K–12 students worldwide. Each year, River of Words accepts well over 3,000 submissions of written and artistic depictions of how students see their local environments. 

Co-Founded by Saint Mary’s alumnus and former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass and author Pamela Michael, River of Words has encouraged young people to explore and savor the watersheds where they live. River of Words has also played a major role in training educators to guide students with inspiration and passion for their environments. Through professional development and other educational services, traveling exhibits, publications, and community programs, River of Words has reached thousands of educators and young people across the globe. 

We invite Saint Mary’s alumni, parents, and educators to encourage their students in the exploration and care for the environment and to become inspired to create art and poetry from all they observe. We invite the community to submit entries to this year’s competition on behalf of their K-12 students by visiting our website and completing the entry form. Parents, teachers, and student group facilitators are eligible to submit on behalf of their young poets and artists.

Please contact rowinfo@stmarys-ca.edu for more information.