(The following news release is provided verbatim by Bucks County Community College)
Jack DeBoyace, a senior at Central Bucks High School East, has been named the 2026 Bucks County High School Poet of the Year after placing as a runner-up the past two years.
DeBoyace rose to the top of 70 entries from across the county, according to Bucks County Community College Professor Ethel Rackin, director of the Bucks County Poet Laureate Program, which includes the annual High School Poet of the Year contest.
After finishing as second runner-up in 2025 and first runner-up in 2024, DeBoyace receives a $300 prize for being named the top young poet in the 39 th annual contest. He also entered the contest in his freshman year.
Rackin noted that the judges – current Bucks County Poet Laureate Madeline Marriott and 2024 laureate Lake Angela – were quite impressed with the level of creativity in the three poems DeBoyace submitted.
Marriott noted that the winning poems “work deftly and efficiently, guiding the reader toward a place of unabashed, dizzying feeling.”
“This poet undertakes something fascinating, asking readers to consider what a poem can be in a concrete world,” Marriott said. “The control of sound, space, and rhythm, coupled with surprising and careful images, stamped these works into my memory from the first read — works of poetic sensibility far beyond what could be expected of a high school student.”
Writing is a large part of DeBoyace’s daily life. He’s an active member of The Patriot Newspaper at C.B. East, where her serves as the editor-in-chief and archivist. He’s also the founding editor of Bridgework literary magazine, is co-president of his school’s chapter of Key Club, and is president of the environmental club.
DeBoyace says he first became serious about writing when he joined Holicong Middle School’s literary magazine, sevenatenine, under the guidance of teacher Brett Vogelsinger.
“As a novice poet, it was so encouraging to be surrounded by a group of people willing to experiment with form, the notion of ‘poetics,’ and to challenge one another relentlessly,” said DeBVoyace. “I continue to be inspired by the work produced in that brief span of time.”
As he looks forward to starting at Bennington College in Bennington, Vt., this fall to study literature, DeBoyace looks back fondly on his time at C.B. East.
“Launching the school literary magazine, Bridgework, has been my proudest accomplishment by far,” he said. “I've had the honor to collaborate with prior colleagues from sevenatenine as well as with exciting new voices. My mentor Mrs. [Christine] Dollarton has continued to support and advocate for me and this project, and I am thankful for her every day.”
The judges also named three runners-up in the contest. They are Taryn Ludwig, a senior at Council Rock High School South, first runner-up; Evelyn Kerr, a sophomore at Central Bucks High School West, second runner-up; and Sophie Korneve, a senior at Council Rock High School South, third runner-up. A dozen finalists were also recognized by the judges.
A reading and celebration will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 9, in the Orangery building on the College’s Newtown campus. The event will feature the winner, runners-up, finalists, and judges.
Bucks County Community College is located at 275 Swamp Rd., Newtown, Pa., 18940, where there is ample free parking. For a campus map and directions, visit bucks.edu/newtown.
39th Annual Bucks County High School Poet of the Year: Final Standings 2026
Winner: Jack DeBoyace, Central Bucks High School East, 12th grade
Poems: “Ceramics 2,” “History of Fabric,” “Ceramics 1”
1st Runner-up: Taryn Ludwig, Council Rock High School South, 12th grade
Poems: “White Carnations,” “forgive us,” “The Last Thing Ever Lost”
2nd Runner-up: Evelyn Kerr, Central Bucks High School West, 10th grade
Poems: “Vehicular Sanctification,” “Until the earth swallows them whole,”
“June/Jaune”
3rd Runner-up: Sophie Kornev, Council Rock High School South, 12th grade
Poems: “Birthday Girl,” “Given,” “What Breaks First”
Finalists:
Addison Carr, Central Bucks High School West, 12th grade
Danielle Cherkassky, Council Rock High School South, 12th grade
Dale Dai, Council Rock High School South, 12th grade
Jaden Dailey, William Tennent High School, 11th grade
Sofia Felker, Villa Joseph Marie High School, 11th grade
Sofia Jakimoski, William Tennent High School, 12th grade
Sara Liu, Council Rock High School South, 12th grade
Kaitlyn Mathew, Council Rock High School South, 12th grade
Isabel Ohler, Harry S. Truman High School, 11th grade
Anisa Parekh, Pennsbury High School, 12th grade
Kalena Viera, William Tennent High School, 12th grade
Aden Wexler, Council Rock High School South, 12th grade
About Bucks County Community College
Founded in 1964, Bucks County Community College is a two-year, public institution offering more than 90 programs of study that lead to either an associate degree or certificate, as well as many workforce training programs on campus, on site, or online. Successful graduates directly launch a career or transfer to four-year colleges and universities to complete a bachelor’s degree, depending on the major. Classes are offered on campus in Newtown, Bristol, and Perkasie, and worldwide through Bucks Online. To learn more, visit bucks.edu.
