National Finals
The 2024 Poetry Out Loud National Finals will be April 30 – May 2, 2024 in Washington, DC.
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. Students also have the opportunity to compete for an expenses paid trip to Washington DC and over $50,000 in scholarships and prizes.
Poetry Out Loud begins at the local level, in classrooms and schools. Kansas Regional Coordinators provide information to schools, help organizers structure the competition, and answer any questions that you might have about getting involved in Poetry Out Loud. Local winners advance to regional competition.
Schools and at-large entrants regional contest registration deadlines vary, so please contact your regional or state coordinator for dates and details. Contact information is below.
Regional competitions are held in the winter each year. In 2023 these events were in Olathe, Hays, Wichita, and Girard.
Competition reminders/FAQ:
The 2023 State Final was held March 11, 2023 at Washburn University’s Andrew J. and Georgia Neese Gray Theatre, also recorded and aired by KTWU (PBS).
The 2024 Poetry Out Loud National Finals will be April 30 – May 2, 2024 in Washington, DC.
All Kansas high schools are invited to participate.
2023: Victoria Jelks – Horton High School
2022: Allie Cloyd – Manhattan High School
2021: Garrett McLaughlin – Shawnee Mission West High School
2020: Santiago Vasquez – Salina South High School
2019: Khadija Ceesay – Olathe South High School
2018: Bella L’Heureux – Blue Valley High School
2017: Sarah Katsiyiannis – Tipton Catholic High School
2016: Sarah Katsiyiannis – Tipton Catholic High School
2015: Leanne Chun – Olathe South High School
2014: Leanne Chun – Olathe South High School
2013: Aaron Brown – Shawnee Mission West High School
2012: Cody Keener – Baldwin High School
2011: Casha Gloria Mills – Shawnee Mission North High School
2010: Casha Gloria Mills – Shawnee Mission North High School
2009: Madeline Rogers – Baldwin High School
2008: Madeline Rogers – Baldwin High School
2007: Patrick Kuhn – Salina Central High School
2006: Andrew Toburen – Cair Paravel Latin School, Topeka
Region 1 ~ Regional Coordinator: Cynthia Roth / [email protected]
Atchison, Brown, Doniphan, Douglas, Jackson, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Lyon, Marshall, Nemaha, Osage, Pottawatomie, Riley, Shawnee, Wabaunsee, Johnson, Wyandotte
Region 2 ~ Regional Coordinator: Codi Fenwick / [email protected]
Barton, Clay, Cloud, Cheyenne, Decatur, Dickinson, Ellis, Ellsworth, Gove, Graham, Geary, Jewell, Lincoln, Logan, Mitchell, Morris, Norton, Ottawa, Osborne, Phillips, Rawlins, Republic, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Saline, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Thomas, Trego, Wallace, Washington
Region 3 ~ Regional Coordinator: Stacy Chestnut / [email protected]
Barber, Butler, Chase, Clark, Comanche, Cowley, Edwards, Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Harper, Harvey, Haskell, Hodgeman, Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, Lane, Marion, McPherson, Meade, Morton, Ness, Pawnee, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Scott, Sedgwick, Seward, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner, Wichita
Region 4 ~ Regional Coordinator: Kayla Pruitt / [email protected]
Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Elk, Franklin, Greenwood, Labette, Linn, Miami, Montgomery, Neosho, Wilson, Woodson