Ashley Kauffman isn’t an ordinary poet, said teacher Mary Holton. Kauffman, a rising senior who is now the poet laureate of Rockbridge County High School, has something special.
“You can just tell that she has, like, just a gift,” said Holton, who taught Kauffman her freshman year and helped judge this year’s poetry contest. “A writing gift.”
The RCHS poet laureate program has recognized students with that kind of gift since 2022. Kauffman is the fifth recipient of the honor, which is awarded to one student annually at the end of their junior year.
Applicants submit their poems to be judged by a panel of teachers, generally from the English department. The judges don’t know who wrote which poem, Holton said. She and Maryann Wolfe made up the panel this year.
The program is sponsored by an anonymous donor, said administrative assistant Bridget Ramsey in an email to The News-Gazette. The winning poet receives $250 and the title of poet laureate.
“I think it’s a great program,” Holton said. “It’s a great opportunity to ... honor students’ creative strengths in writing.”
Kauffman said she’s been interested in writing poetry since middle school but felt like she didn’t have inspiration. She got that inspiration when she read “Romeo and Juliet” her freshman year.
“I kind of just started writing,” she said. Holton, who was Kauffman’s ninth grade English teacher, said she’s been consistently impressed by the poet laureate’s writing.
“The mastery she has of her language ... is exemplary throughout her poems,” Holton said.
Kauffman said she likes to use contrasting themes in her poetry. She’d like to become a published author and also has an interest in writing choral music.
“I like writing about really deep topics,” she said, “or things that can be seen from multiple perspectives.”
Kauffman beat out one other applicant to win the honor, Holton said. The district awarded her a check and certificate before the end of the school year in May.
“In the future I will be inviting the winner to the Senior Awards Night,” Ramsey said in her email.
Holton said the poet laureate also has the opportunity to submit poetry to the school newspaper and have their work published on the RCHS website.
“It gives another outlet to ... spotlight a different side of, like, students’ strengths,” she said.
Previous poet laureates include Gianna McKeeman, 2022; Ainsley Carter, 2023; Lilyan Thomas, 2024; and Alya Hogan, 2025.
