Miles Hewitt’s poetry has taken him on journeys both figurative and literal.
The 18-year-old Vancouver School of Arts and Academics senior’s acclaimed poetry pursuits have earned him not one, but two trips to the White House. The latest Washington, D.C., invite in mid-December was a perk of his involvement in the inaugural National Student Poets Program, which lauded five teenage poets from across the country.
Hewitt, son of Columbian staff writer Scott Hewitt, hobnobbed with the other four young wordsmiths at the White House last month during a reception hosted by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. He said it would have been exciting enough to meet first lady Michelle Obama, who serves as the committee’s honorary chair. But when President Barack Obama walked into the room unexpectedly to address the crowd and greet the poets, Hewitt said he was in awe.
“He’s kind of my hero,” said Hewitt, who is also president of the Clark County Young Democrats.
Because of his National Student Poet honor, Hewitt was also flown to Washington, D.C., in September for the Library of Congress’ annual National Book Festival. He received a $5,000 academic award with the yearlong national poet title, which comes with a responsibility to promote the craft as an ambassador.