Poetry Out Loud ® lifts poetry off the page, creating community and connection. Through this program, high school students across the country participate in a dynamic poetry recitation competition that is designed to improve their public speaking skills, help build confidence, and teach them about literary history and contemporary life.
A program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with participating state and jurisdictional arts agencies and administered by Mid Atlantic Arts, Poetry Out Loud provides free lesson plans and other educational materials to teachers and organizers, including an online anthology of classic and contemporary poems.
Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.6 million students and 89,000 teachers from 22,000 schools across the U.S. have participated in Poetry Out Loud.
Contact your State Coordinator to get involved.
For Students
What's It Like to Compete?
Nervous about reciting? Unsure of where to start? Don’t be—everything you need to help you perform a successful recitation is right here.
“I’m so grateful that I met all of these people, and for them to be able to share their talents with me and for me to do the same with them.”
2026 Poetry Out Loud Champion Jayda Dawn
For Teachers and Organizers
The Power of Poetry
Every year thousands of teachers integrate Poetry Out Loud into their curricula. This section has everything you need to run a successful program in your classroom.
Congratulations to the 2026 Poetry Out Loud National Champion, Jayda Dawn!
April 30, 2026
Jayda Dawn, an 11th grade student at University High School of Indiana in Carmel, Indiana, won the title of national champion and a $20,000 grand prize. The second-place winner is Damien Deen, a 12th grade student at Washington High School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The third-place winner is Jaden Conley, a 12th grade student at Niles West High School in Skokie, Illinois.
