Youth Writer-in-Residence

The youth writers-in-residence are one of the highlights of our residency programming. These residencies provide teens with opportunities to focus on the development of their own writing and to expand their leadership and core competency skills. The youth writers-in-residence are responsible for facilitating youth outreach, integrating youth throughout Hugo House programs, mentoring peers and running Stage Fright, our monthly open-mic event for teens.

This residency is open to high-school students in grades 10-12 with a passion for writing and a talent for mentoring their peers. Residencies run from October through June.

Current Hugo House Youth Writer-in-Residence

Ramsey Jester is an aspiring performance poet. He dedicates most of his time to studying the art of being human. When he’s not caught in the beauty of everything he is out trying to make an impact in his community by performing open heart surgery on himself in front of anybody willing to witness. He is the founder of The Spoken Word Room, a poetry program at his high school (Nathan Hale). The club has played host to over fifty of some of Seattle’s best young artists. Personal accomplishments are made up of over twenty-three scheduled performances; these include everything from opening for the mayor at Town Hall meetings to performing at Bumbershoot. He has been lucky enough to share the stage with most of his heroes, Karen Finneyfrock, Tara Hardy and Buddy Wakefield to name a few. Ramsey has also dabbled in event organizing and has put on a couple fully youth driven performances that were sponsored by good nature. Ramsey has a long way to go but he hopes that this is where he and you meet.