Background
Poetry Out Loud is a competition that encourages the nation’s youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage. After successful pilot programs in Washington, D.C. and Chicago, POL was launched in high schools nationwide in the spring of 2006 with tens of thousands of students participating. POL has grown every year with over 365,000 students competing.
Sponsors include the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation, Alabama State Council on the Arts and The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa. The Region 3-4 Coordinator for Poetry Out Loud is Autumn Fuller, Director of Education for The Arts Council.
Poetry Out Loud 2025 Winners From Region 3 and 4 Competition and State Winners at Montgomery:
Original Composition:
1st- Abigail White, Indian Springs School (2nd Place at State)
2nd- Journey Harrill, Vestavia Hills High School
3rd- Aarvi Shah, Indian Springs School (3rd Place at State)
Social Issue Composition:
1st- Allie Rezek, Alabama School of Fine Arts
2nd- Samantha Hurst, Mortimer Jordan High School
3rd- Aarvi Shah, Indian Springs School (1st Place at State)
National Anthology Recitation:
1st- Sanjiya Parker, Paul W. Bryant High School
2nd- Sidney Grace Cullwell, Vestavia Hills High School (Top 5 at State)
3rd- Samantha Hurst, Mortimer Jordan High School (3rd Place at State)
Other Students that Moved on to State:
AJ Powell, Mortimer Jordan High School
Markhia Ivory, Paul W. Bryant High School (Top 5 at State)
Carrie Ella Smith, Vestavia Hills High School
Sasha Cebanu, Vestavia Hills High School (2nd Place at State)
Gabryelle Minor, Paul W. Bryant High School
Poetry Out Loud is a program made possible by a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation.
Visit poetryoutloud.org
