Poetry Out Loud Returns!

SWLA Regional Poetry Out Loud Competition

Competition to be held Thursday, February 1 at 5:30 PM in the Ben Mount Auditorium – Central School for the Arts & Humanities Center

What Is

Poetry Out Loud?

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. Since 2005, Poetry Out Loud has grown to reach over 4.2 million students and 72,000 teacher from over 18,000 schools and organizations in every state, American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

Resources and Information
For Teachers And Students

Follow links for more information

Only currently enrolled students in grades 9th-12th can compete. Exceptions are made for 8th Graders participating in a 9th-12th grade class

All poems must be selected from the Poetry Out Loud print or online anthology, which is updated every summer. Check the website after September 1, 2023, to view the official POL anthology for the current school year. Only versions of poems from the official anthology may be used in the contest.

All poems must be selected from the Poetry Out Loud print or online anthology, which is updated every summer. Check the website after September 1st to view the official POL anthology for the current school year. Only versions of poems from the official anthology may be used in the contest. 

Students must provide the titles and authors of their poems and the order in which they will be recited to the coordinator. Students may not change their poems or their order once submitted. This will enable the coordinator to have poems for the accuracy judge and prompter and evaluation sheets prepared.

Competitors recite individually. The emcee should introduce students as they come to the stage to recite. It is the student’s job to identify the poem title and author, and, if necessary, the translator. (For example, “Brother, I’ve seen some” by Kabir, translated by Arvind Krishna Mehrotra). A few other notes:

  • A student’s own editorial comments before or after the poem are not allowed.
  • Epigraphs should be recited and their omission will affect the accuracy score.
  • Footnotes should not be recited and their inclusion will affect the accuracy score.
  • Stanza numbers and dedications are optional, and their inclusion or omission should not affect the accuracy score.
  • Students must include the name of the translator, if applicable.
  • The poem must be delivered from memory.

Students’ recitations will be judged on the following areas: Physical Presence, Voice and Articulation, Interpretation, Evidence of Understanding, Overall Performance, and Accuracy.

Need Help?

contact us

Find us Here

Central School Arts & Humanities Center
809 Kirby Street, Suite 202
Lake Charles, LA 70601

Get In touch

Cameron Fultz
Executive Director
[email protected]

Hours of Operation

Mon- Fri: 9am- 5pm
Weekends: Closed

Scroll to Top