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.
Featured Poet
Ada Limón earned an MFA from New York University, and is the recipient of fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts and the Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center. Her work has appeared in numerous publications including The New Yorker, The Harvard Review, Pleiades, and Barrow Street. Limón splits her time between Kentucky, California, and New York.
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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.
““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.