Poetry Out Loud takes place in all 50 states, American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. High schools and organizations that choose to participate in the official competition conduct their programs and contests between September and February. State contests take place by early March. The 2024 Poetry Out Loud National Finals are planned for April 30-May 2, 2024, in Washington, DC. More information will be announced in the future.

Schools and organizations should contact their state/jurisdictional arts agency with any questions pertaining to live streaming or broadcasting their competitions.

The official Poetry Out Loud contest is administered at the state level by state and jurisdictional arts agencies in all 50 states, American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. All types of high schools are welcome to participate, including public, private, parochial, independent, charter, etc., as well as homeschool students. Non-school organizations, such as after school clubs, libraries, or nonprofit organizations, may choose to run Poetry Out Loud as well. Students may only compete in one stream—either with their school or an organization. Only schools and organizations registered with their state Poetry Out Loud coordinator are eligible for the competition; if you would like to get involved, contact your state arts agency. Students unable to participate at their school or a local organization should contact their state Poetry Out Loud coordinator to discuss other opportunities for inclusion in the state’s official competition.

Only currently enrolled students in grades 9–12 are eligible, with an exception made for 8th-grade students participating in a 9th- through 12th-grade class. A Poetry Out Loud National Champion is not eligible to compete in future years.

No student may be excluded from participating in Poetry Out Loud on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or national origin. More information on Poetry Out Loud rules and eligibility may be found at PoetryOutLoud.org.

All of the Poetry Out Loud program materials are available for free online in the Teachers & Organizers section of the website. Using these online materials, schools and organizations are welcome to conduct their own “unofficial” poetry recitation competitions and introduce their students to classic and contemporary poetry.

Poetry Out Loud offers educators free, standards-based curriculum materials, which include an online poetry anthology with more than 1,200 classic and contemporary poems, a teachers’ guide, lesson plans, and video and audio on the art of recitation. These free resources are available at PoetryOutLoud.org.

National Level: A total of $50,000 in awards and school/organization stipends will be given at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals, including a $20,000 award for the National Champion, $10,000 for 2nd place, $5,000 for 3rd place, and $1,000 for 4th–9th places. The representing schools or organizations of each of the top nine finalists receive $500 for the purchase of poetry materials. There will be one honorable mention in each of the three national semifinals competitions. Those students will not advance to the finals, but will each receive a $1,000 cash award and a $500 school/organization stipend.

State Level: Each winner at the state level will receive $200 and their school will receive $500 for poetry materials. One runner-up in each state will receive $100; their school will receive $200 for the purchase of poetry materials.

The Poetry Foundation provides and administers all aspects of the monetary prizes awarded and travel arrangements to the Poetry Out Loud National Finals. Awards are made in the form of lump sum cash payouts, reportable to the IRS. Tax liabilities are the sole responsibility of the winners and their families. Full details on prize requirements and travel and accommodations requirements are available in the rules and eligibility section of the website.

All contestants are evaluated on these criteria: physical presence, voice and articulation, evidence of understanding, interpretation, accuracy, and overall performance. For more information regarding these criteria, please consult the teacher’s guide.

Visit PoetryOutLoud.org for more information on this program. The website features educational resources for teachers and students, including standards-based educational materials, tips on hosting a school contest, and videos of outstanding performances.

The NEA and Poetry Out Loud YouTube channels also include short videos from students, teachers, and others discussing Poetry Out Loud that you can use to build interest and enthusiasm for the program.