Poetry Out Loud

Lift poetry off the page with the NEA's Poetry Out Loud!

The Massillon Museum invites schools and arts organizations to host a Poetry Out Loud competition.

A partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation, and the state and jurisdictional arts agencies, Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country.

Each year, high school students nationwide compete towards their state finals and the national championship in Washington, D.C. As students analyze, memorize, and interpret poems by writers from all eras and walks of life, they build confidence, literacy skills, and public speaking experience. 

A local Poetry Out Loud competition can be run by a school, arts organization, after school program, library, homeschool group, and more! If space is an issue, virtual competitions are an option. Necessary competition materials are available for download.

Northeast Ohio* competition winners will have their regional semifinals at the Massillon Museum, the Ohio Arts Council's regional partner, on February 13, 2027. Ohio's state finals will be at WOSU Columbus on March 5, 2027.

Interested in holding a local Poetry Out Loud competition? Read on!

*Counties in the Northeast Ohio Poetry Out Loud region:
Ashland, Ashtabula, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Huron, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Richland, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Wayne

Important Dates for the Northeast Ohio Region

Registration for the 2026 - 2027 program is available at this link until December 15, 2026.

  • Workshop Dates
    • Sunday, September 27, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.: Northeast Ohio Teacher Webinar
      • High school educators from the Northeast Ohio region are invited to learn about how to host a Poetry Out Loud competition for their students, and how the program can support their everyday literacy goals.
      • The Massillon Museum is the Ohio Arts Council's Northeast Ohio regional partner, which covers the following counties:
        • Ashland, Ashtabula, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Huron, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Richland, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Wayne
      • The webinar can be accessed here.
    • Sunday, January 24, 2027, at 2:00 p.m.: Student Workshop at the Massillon Museum in Gessner Hall
      • Students who win their school-based POL competition will progress to the Northeast Ohio Regional Semifinals, held at the Massillon Museum.
      • In this workshop, student POL champions can ask questions of the hosts and become familiar with the space as they prepare for the Regional Semifinals.
      • You will be able to register for this free Student Workshop on the Massillon Museum Events Calendar.

 

  • Northeast Ohio Regional Semifinals
    • Saturday, February 13, 2027, at 11:00 a.m. at the Massillon Museum in Gessner Hall
  • State Finals presented by the Ohio Arts Council
    • Friday, March 5, 2027, at 6:00 p.m. at WOSU Public Media in Columbus, OH
  • National Finals in Washington, DC, presented by the National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation
    • Monday, April 26 - Wednesday, April 28, 2027
Rules and Eligibility Requirements
  • Only versions of poems from the official print or online Poetry Out Loud anthology may be used in the contest. 
  • Only currently enrolled students in grades 9 through 12 are eligible, with an exception made for 8th-grade students participating in a 9th- through 12th-grade class.
  • Homeschooled students may compete in a local or virtual contest. Contact your state coordinator for guidance.
  • 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. Schools may determine eligibility for classroom and school level Poetry Out Loud programming pursuant to local and state law.
  • For more information about student, poem, and competition rules and eligibility, please visit PoetryOutLoud.org/About-Poetry-Out-Loud/Rules-Eligibility/.
Prizes
  • At the state contest, each winner receives $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC, to compete at the National Finals.
    • The state winner’s school/organization receives $500 for the purchase of poetry materials.
    • The first runner-up in each state receives $100, with $200 for their school/organization.
  • At the national contest, a total of $50,000 in awards and school/organizational stipends are awarded annually.
    • $20,000 is awarded to the National Champion, $10,000 for 2nd place, $5,000 for 3rd place, and $1,000 for 4th - 9th places.
    • The representing schools/organizations of each of the top nine finalists receive $500 for the purchase of poetry materials.
    • For more information, visit PoetryOutLoud.org/FAQ/