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Cedar Falls graduate Daniel Umez reads poems after being named National Youth Poet Laureate
Summary
At the June 8 Cedar Falls school board meeting, recent graduate Daniel Umez, introduced as the National Youth Poet Laureate, read two original poems about grief and small joys. Board members praised his work and wished him well as he moves into the national role.
Daniel Umez, a recent Cedar Falls High School graduate and the district’s newly named National Youth Poet Laureate, read two original poems for the board and the audience at the June 8 Cedar Falls Community School District board meeting.
Introduced by the board, Umez opened with a piece he identified as 'foragatada,' a meditation on grief that described memory and the dislocation of loss in precise, tactile images. He followed with “Leave Us Our Little,” a poem that urged preservation of small comforts amid larger sorrow. Board members thanked Umez and offered best wishes for his future work with the National Youth Poet Laureate program and continued education.
The presentation was part of the district communications portion of the agenda, which the board uses to highlight student and community accomplishments. The reading drew multiple expressions of appreciation from the board; the superintendent described the moment as “one of the most amazing” during recent board meetings.
The board adjourned the public portion of the meeting after routine business and then moved into a work session. No formal action was taken on the reading; the event was recorded and remains available through the district’s broadcast channels.
