Poetry Out Loud—presented in partnership with the Maine Arts Commission, Maine Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Poetry Foundation—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. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.4 million students across the country have participated in Poetry Out Loud. On February 4th, 17 high school students participated in the Poetry Out Loud Southern Regional Finals competition at the Public Theatre in Lewiston.
The students delivered recitations, selected from an anthology of more than 1,200 poems. Judges evaluated student performances on criteria including voice and articulation, evidence of understanding, and accuracy. The National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation have created free, standards-based curriculum materials to support Poetry Out Loud including a teacher’s guide, lesson plans, an online anthology, and video and audio on the art of recitation. These resources are available for free at PoetryOutLoud.org.
Abigail McCrillis will advance to the State Poetry Out Loud competition on March 3, 2025. The Maine State champion will receive $200 and will advance to the national finals next spring in Washington, DC where $50,000 in awards and school/organizational stipends will be distributed. The representing school or organization of the Maine State Champion will receive $500 for the purchase of poetry materials and the first runner-up will receive $100, with $200 for their school or organization. The Poetry Foundation provides and administers all aspects of the monetary prizes awarded and travel arrangements for the Poetry Out Loud National Finals.
To learn more about the Maine Poetry Out Loud competition, contact the Maine Arts Commission or visit PoetryOutLoud.org.