New Heights Charter School tenth-grade scholar Ryan Simmons has been selected as the City of Brockton’s newest Youth Poet Laureate–a distinction that recognizes his talent, dedication to the literary arts, and distinctive voice as a young writer. Simmons will serve a two-year term starting October 10, 2026.

The Youth Poet Laureate position provides a  young writer with an opportunity to share their work, engage the community through poetry, and use their voices to explore and illuminate issues that matter to their generation.

 Ryan has been using poetry as a tool to express himself and convey thoughts he could only describe through his verses. He said, “Outside of school, poetry has become one of my main forms of artistic expression. I enjoy writing about emotions, relationships, identity, community, and experiences that people sometimes have difficulty putting into words.”

When asked what inspired him to write poetry, Ryan credited his curiosity for artistic expression and a desire to understand others through their feelings. “I’ve always been someone who thinks deeply about things and pays attention to what other people are feeling. Poetry gave me a place to turn those thoughts into something meaningful,” Ryan explained.

Ryan’s 9th-grade ELA teacher, Dr. Matthew Henry, was overjoyed when he received a phone call from his colleague, Evan Baxter who shared the news alongside Ryan. Dr. Henry said, “I received a phone call from Mr. Baxter. He put Ryan on the phone to deliver the news himself. I screamed my congratulations loud enough that I’m pretty sure I disturbed the neighbors on my street.”

According to Dr. Henry, Ryan’s work addresses social issues that challenge both his community and the world at large. “He [Ryan] is very deft at finding powerful images to illustrate the complex social interactions and personal reflections that his poetry tackles,” Dr. Henry noted.

Hope Fernandes, New Heights Early College English Language Arts (ELA) teacher, host of the Brockton Public Library’s monthly “Everyone Has a Voice” poetry series, and organizer of New Heights’ monthly Coffee House series, praised Simmons’ achievement. “This honor is a testament to Ryan’s extraordinary talent, his dedication to the craft of writing, and the power of his unique voice,” Fernandes said. “For Ryan to be recognized in this manner is a true honor for our school community but more importantly an open door of opportunity for Ryan,” she added “I am truly looking forward to watching him soar during his two year tenure as Brockton’s Youth Poet Laureate.”

Simmons’ appointment marks a significant achievement not only for the young poet, but also for the New Heights community, which continues to foster opportunities for students to develop their creativity, confidence, and individual voices through the arts.

While poetry has become an important instrument for Ryan to convey his message, he also aims to use it to uplift others. “I want my poetry to give people a voice, especially people who feel like they aren’t being heard. I want my writing to make people feel understood and remind them that their experiences and stories matter,” Ryan concluded.

The Youth Poet Inauguration event will be held at Brockton’s Main Street Library at 2:00 on October 10th promptly at 2:00 PM  for anyone who is interested in supporting this endeavor.