Poetry Out Loud
Thursday, Nov. 21 – Friday, Nov. 22
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
James McDivitt Hall, Room 218
Poetry Out Loud—presented in partnership with Michigan 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 November 21st and 22nd at Jackson College, high school students are invited to compete for a chance to win our local Poetry Out Loud competition! Students will recite works selected from an anthology of more than 1,200 poems. Judges will evaluate student performances on criteria including voice and articulation, evidence of understanding, and accuracy. The winner of our local competition will advance to the state Poetry Out Loud competition in Lansing on March 14-15th 2025. The 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 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 Poetry Out Loud competition, contact Katie Wittenauer (kwittenauer@mihumanities.org) or visit PoetryOutLoud.org.
To sign up for our local competition at Jackson College, contact Holly Taylor (taylorholly@xgcr.net). *Only high school students (9-12th grade) may participate in this event.*