Saint John’s Prep is celebrating Isabel Schwinghammer ’26, who has been shortlisted for the Minnesota Youth Poet Laureate Program. She advanced to the finals of the 2026 contest with three original poems, earning recognition for both her creative voice and thoughtful engagement with important themes.

The hosts an annual poetry initiative that honors young writers using poetry to create artistic, civic, and social impact. Through this program, emerging poets are recognized for their leadership, creativity, and commitment to using words as a force for connection and change.

Isabel is the daughter of Stewart and Kim Schwinghammer of Saint Augusta. She is the sister of Gabe ’28. Isabel is mentored by English teacher, Kelly Fitch.

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Emiliana Cofell ’12 met Rebecca Hare ’11 in the halls of Saint John’s Prep in 2009 where they both discovered their love of poetry. Solo contributors to the school’s literary magazine, The Triangle, they didn’t become literary partners until the pandemic with Rebecca’s publication Between Someday and Right Now marking their first collaborative effort.  

“We didn’t stumble head over heels 

we looked hard at the world around us 

and saw a future in each other”

-Rebecca Hare ‘11 

Cofell and Hare are now preparing for the release of The Cage, the Depths, the Harbor, a collection of poetry and prose that seek “to share perspectives and build connections beyond confining walls and perceptions.” The collection includes “contributions from writers who are both currently incarcerated and non-incarcerated” with all proceeds to be distributed amongst the currently incarcerated contributors.  

Calling upon the Benedictine values of justice and respect for all people, Cofell and Hare cite the Rule of Saint Benedict reminding us that “your way of acting should be different from the world’s way” (Rule of Saint Benedict 4). “Our collaboration rejects isolation as a tool of incarceration” they write, adding that their work on The Cage, the Depths, the Harbor “challenges carceral punishment as a goal of the criminal legal system.”  

“From reaching out to friends for poetry and prose contributions, to transcribing handwritten submissions from our incarcerated authors, to editing and typesetting the final project,” the Prep alums worked side by side through every step of the publication process. “Both of us discovered our love for writing and poetry while at Prep” they write, noting that their “appreciation for poetry grew as we learned its historical use as a transformative catalyst for societal change.”  

Cofell and Hare extend their gratitude to the faculty of the Saint John’s Prep English department including Mr. Jeff Johnson, Ms. Dixie Boschee, Mr. Robert Erickson, and Mr. Paul Menard for sparking their interest in writing and literature.  

To get your copy of The Cage, the Depths, the Harbor, please fill out this . If you would like a copy but are experiencing financial hardship, please contact shiftcreativecollective@gmail.com for assistance.  

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