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Read, Recite, Share Your Voice

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. 

Get involved today! Contact your state arts agency.

Sreepadaarchana Munjuluri, a junior at Columbus North High School in Indiana, is the 2023 Poetry Out Loud National Champion! The 2nd place winner is Edward Wilson Jr., a senior at Jackson Preparatory School in Mississippi, and Madison Harris, a freshman at Indian Creek School in Crownsville, Maryland took 3rd place.

Learn more.

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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.

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““I love the fact that students are not just reading a poem or reading words, but they are actually sharing a part of their identity, sharing what’s important to them. The poems that I chose share a different facet of what I believe in, who I am.”

Sreepadaarchana Munjuluri, 2023 National Champion

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.