Greenburgh Appoints 1st Youth Poet Laureate

GREENBURGH, NY — The town of Greenburgh has selected its first youth poet laureate.

Greenburgh’s Arts and Culture Committee announced the appointment of 16-year-old Asa Miller of Hartsdale to a two-year, non-paying position as the town’s youth poet laureate.

Miller’s term of office will run from September 2023 until September 2025.

He will officially be inducted at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13 at the Town Board meeting.

In his position, Miller will develop opportunities for young people in Greenburgh to undertake the creation of original poetry and share that work in a variety of ways.

“My mission is clear,” he said, “to get our diverse community of Greenburgh teens excited about poetry.”

Miller is a junior at Edgemont Jr./Sr. High School where he is an honors student.

He said his love for poetry began at 8, when his poem “Fishkill Farms” won his entire class an all-expense paid trip to Fishkill Farms in Dutchess County for apple picking and doughnuts.

He has been writing and getting his poetry and short stories published ever since.

Miller was recently selected as one of several 10th graders to attend the 2023 Young Authors Conference for Westchester and Putnam counties.

“Poetry helps me to share my passion for science, music, and even sports,” he said.

His account of a lacrosse tournament was just published in USA Lacrosse Magazine.

Miller plays lacrosse for Edgemont’s varsity team, True Lacrosse Westchester and Israel’s national U18 team.

In addition, he is an award-winning classical pianist who has performed at venues around the world. His short documentary about helping to restore coral reefs in Cuba has screened at dozens of international film festivals.

An experienced scuba diver, Miller also co-founded Edgemont’s marine biology club.