High School Students Invited to Compete in 20th Anniversary of National Poetry Contest

Posted September 26, 2024

New México Arts (NMA) celebrates the 20th anniversary of Poetry Out Loud this school year. Through Poetry Out Loud—a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation—high school students across the country, including New Mexico, participate in a dynamic poetry recitation competition that is designed to improve public speaking skills, build confidence and teach students about literary history and contemporary life.

“New Mexico is thrilled to celebrate 20 years of participating in Poetry Out Loud,” said Kevin Lenkner, New Mexico Poetry Out Loud coordinator at NMA. “There are so many ways to enjoy poetry in our enchanted state. We hope teachers and students dig into the program this year.”

From September to December, schools are invited to hold classroom and school-wide contests, with students advancing to a state competition in 2025. Non-school organizations, such as after school clubs, libraries or nonprofits, may also run Poetry Out Loud. Students may only compete with either their school, or with an organization. As part of the program, NEA and Poetry Foundation offer free, standards-based poetry curriculum materials to schools.

The New Mexico 20th Anniversary State Finals will be held on Sunday, March 16, 2025, at the Lensic Performing Arts Center in Santa Fe. The state champion will advance to the national finals in Washington, DC, May 5–7, 2025, in an all-expenses paid trip.

Poetry Out Loud Awards

Each state’s champion will receive $200 and will advance to the national championship, in an all-expenses paid trip by the Poetry Foundation. The Poetry Out Loud National Champion will be awarded $20,000 and additional awards and school stipends will also be distributed. For more info visit PoetryOutLoud.org.

How to get involved in Poetry Out Loud

High schools and organizations that wish to be part of Poetry Out Loud must register with New Mexico Arts by Nov. 8, 2024, to participate. NMA will work with interested schools and organizations to include them in the official program. Schools and organizations that are not in the official program may conduct their own contests using the online resources. Contact Kevin Lenkner at NMA at 505-412-5791 or kevin.lenkner@dca.nm.gov or visit nmarts.org/all-programs/poetry-out-loud/.