Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. Participating students must be in grades 9 through 12, and any representative of a Kentucky public or private high school may apply. Each participating school receives an artist residency, hosts their own school championship, and has the opportunity for the school champion to attend the state competition with a chaperone and bus subsidies to travel as a class.
The Kentucky Arts Council is accepting registrations until Oct. 3, 2025. The state finals competition will take place in Frankfort on March 12, 2026. The guidelines and registration form can be found here.
Kentucky Poetry Out Loud Champion Javontae Cranmo from Beechwood High School completed the national competition in the top nine of 55 states and territories’ contestants. Javontae heads to the University of Tampa in the fall on a pre-law track with a double major in English and Philosophy. He is pictured here during the National competition in Washington D.C.