The Poetry Out Loud National Finals will be held in Washington, DC from April 27-29, 2026. The National Semifinals will be held on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, from 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM ET. Champions from each state will perform in one of three semifinal groups, and the top three students from each semifinal group will move on to the Poetry Out Loud National Finals on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at 7:00 PM ET.
9:00 AM ET— Champions from Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.
1:00 PM ET— Champions from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
5:00 PM ET— Champions from Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
State Finals
| State/Territory | Date | Winner & School/Org |
| Alabama | February 26 | Aarvi Shah, Indian Springs School |
| Alaska | March 9 | Cassie Lumba, Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé |
| American Samoa | February 6 | Johnson Ailima, Fa’asao Marist High School |
| Arizona | March 7 | Liam McLaughlin, Gary K. Herberger Young Scholars Academy |
| Arkansas | February 28 | Lillian Baker, Sheridan High School |
| California | March 8 | Lillian Braly, Marin School for the Arts at Novato High School |
| Colorado | March 2 | DB Henderson, Coronado High School |
| Connecticut | March 7 | Emma Frisbie, East Lyme High School |
| Delaware | February 19 | Natalia Gatti, Sussex Academy of Arts & Sciences |
| District of Columbia | March 7 | |
| Florida | March 7 | Esinam Agama, Tallahassee Collegiate Academy |
| Georgia | March 6 | Rory Berg, Roswell High School |
| Guam | March 6 | |
| Hawaii | February 22 | Kai Gammarino, Punahou School |
| Idaho | March 7 | Monroe (Madison) Williams, Mountain Home High School |
| Illinois | March 2 | Jaden Conley, Niles West High School |
| Indiana | February 21 | Jayda Dawn, University High School |
| Iowa | March 8 | Emma Oleson, North High School |
| Kansas | February 21 | Miriam Mantara, Blue Valley High School |
| Kentucky | February 12 | Bella Slone, Beechwood High School |
| Louisiana | February 26 | Mallory Lott, Covington High School |
| Maine | March 2 | Meghan Rivard, Maine Arts Academy |
| Maryland | March 7 | |
| Massachusetts | March 8 | Nia Cao, Dana Hall School |
| Michigan | March 14 | |
| Minnesota | February 27 | Sofia Skuza Rivera, St. Paul Academy and Summit School |
| Mississippi | March 5 | Elayjah Earles, Mississippi School for the Arts |
| Missouri | March 3 | Salvador Gonzalez, Stockton High School |
| Montana | March 7 | Ellette Whitcomb, Hellgate High School |
| Nebraska | March 8 | MajieAhna Winfrey, Marian High School |
| Nevada | March 7 | Mari Basaca Fuentes, Yerington High School |
| New Hampshire | March 6 | Summer Brackett, Coe-Brown Northwood Academy |
| New Jersey | March 3 | |
| New Mexico | March 8 | Hadas Frish, La Cueva High School |
| North Carolina | February 28 | Caliyah McCall, Knightdale High School |
| North Dakota | February 23 | Aspen Geist, Wyndmere High School |
| Ohio | February 27 | Sarah Seidu, Saint Francis DeSales High School |
| Oklahoma | March 4 | |
| Oregon | March 7 | Emma Keen, Oregon School for the Deaf |
| Pennsylvania | March 3 | Xariel Banton, Lancaster Catholic High School |
| Puerto Rico | March 13 | |
| Rhode Island | March 7 | Astrid Santos, Classical High School |
| South Carolina | March 7 | Oona Borovicka, Wade Hampton High School |
| South Dakota | March 9 | Damien Deen, Washington High School |
| Tennessee | February 28 | Sarah Williamson, Hardin Valley Academy |
| Texas | February 28 | Almaz Clawson, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts |
| Utah | March 4 | James Ware, Olympus High School |
| Vermont | March 5 | Eason DeMarsico-Thorne, Brattleboro Union High School |
| Virgin Islands | March 14 | |
| Virginia | March 5 | Amelia Rylak, Grace Christian School |
| Washington | March 7 | Jade Terriss Talamo, Squalicum High School |
| West Virginia | March 7 | Gülse Polat, Morgantown High School |
| Wisconsin | March 7 | Riley Saenim, The Prairie School |
| Wyoming | March 2 | Dovelynn Martinson, Buffalo High School |