POETRY OUT LOUD
WHAT IS POETRY OUT LOUD?
The National Endowment for the Arts partners with state arts agencies to support Poetry Out Loud, a competition that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through analysis, memorization, and recitation. The program helps teens master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage and contemporary issues.
The 2026 season marks the 21st anniversary of Poetry Out Loud and takes place in all 50 states, American Samoa, District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.4 million students and 81,000 teachers from 20,000 schools across the U.S. have participated in Poetry Out Loud.
2026 REGIONAL AND STATE CONTESTS
The Springfield Area Arts Council is the regional coordinator for the Central Region, which includes Bond, Cass, Christian, DeWitt, Greene, Jersey, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Mason, McLean, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Sangamon, and Scott counties. SAAC is also the state coordinator for the state of Illinois as the designated partner agency of the Illinois Arts Council.
ILLINOIS REGIONAL PARTNERS
Southern Region
ArtSpace Southern Illinois
Northern Region
Rockford Area Arts Council
Eastern Region
40 North/88 West
Chicago Region
The Poetry Center of Chicago
Central Region
Springfield Area Arts Council
Western Region
Quad City Arts
2025 ARTIST RESIDENCY WITH ANGELA JACKSON
ILLINOIS POET LAUREATE
2020 – 2025
Participants in a workshop led by Angela Jackson at Lincoln Land Community College offered one-word oral responses after a reading of the Illinois State Song. The following poem is a product of that workshop.
ILLINOIS
Arr. by Angela Jackson
Proud
Meadow larks,
Cardinals,
Prairie hawks
Take safe haven.
Great migrations
In heartland
Sanctuary, refuge
Solidarity. Diversity.
Contradictions, grace
Lincoln’s blue corn
Learning opportunity
History, home
Avid sports fans
And rubber bands
Of flat wind
Illinois.
Central Illinois Regional Contest
Thursday
February 12, 2026
4:00 P.M.
Club Room
Hoogland Center for the Arts
420 S 6th St, Springfield IL
Free
Open to the Public
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
Decatur
Eisenhower High School
Pawnee
Pawnee High School
Springfield
Sacred Heart-Griffin High School
Southeast High School
Springfield High School
Illinois State Contest
Illinois high schoolers will compete for the title of state champion and a trip to the national finals in Washington D.C.
Monday
March 2, 2026
10:00 A.M.
LRS Theatre
Hoogland Center for the Arts
420 S 6th St, Springfield IL
Free
Open to the Public
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
Annawan
Annawan High School
Arlington Heights
John Hersey High School
Champaign
Champaign Central High School
Chester
Chester High School
Chicago
Intrinsic Schools – Belmont Campus
Marillac Foglia Center
Gary Comer College Prep
Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center
Taft High School
The Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences
Stephen T. Mather High School
University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
Clay City
Clay City Schools
Decatur
Eisenhower High School
Deerfield
Deerfield High School
Edwardsville
Edwardsville High School
Eureka
Eureka High School
Flossmoor
Homewood Flossmoor High School
Franklin Park
East Leyden High School
Freeburg
Freeburg High School
Jacksonville
Routt Catholic High School
Mahomet
Mahomet-Seymour High School
Manlius
Bureau Valley High School
Monticello
Monticello High School
Monmouth
United High School
Niles
Northridge Preparatory School
Pawnee
Pawnee High School
Rantoul
Rantoul Township High School
Riverside
Riverside Brookfield High School
Rockford
Thomas Jefferson High School
Jefferson High School
Rolling Meadows
Rolling Meadows High School
Skokie
Niles West High School
Niles North High School
Springfield
Lutheran High
Sacred Heart-Griffin High School
Springfield Southeast High School
Teutopolis
Teutopolis High School
Urbana
Uni High School
University High School
Wheaton
Wheaton Warrenville South
2026 NATIONAL CONTEST – ILLINOIS CONTESTANT
54 champions from each state and territory competed at the national level.
Jaden Conley of Niles West High School, Skokie, IL placed 3rd in the 2026 Poetry Out Loud National Finals, winning a $5,000 prize.
2026 ILLINOIS STATE CONTEST
Photos by William Richards Photography.
More than 2,900 students and nearly 120 teachers from 31 high schools took part in this season’s program.
1ST PLACE
Jaden Conley of Niles West High School, Skokie, IL
2ND PLACE
Elliana Sheehan of Wheaton-Warrenville South High School, Wheaton, IL
2026 CENTRAL ILLINOIS REGIONAL CONTEST
Photos by William Richards Photography.
More than 155 students and 21 teachers from six central Illinois high schools participated in the 2026 Poetry Out Loud season in central Illinois.
From left to right: Andre Heard, Zoe Reinbold, Ace O’Malley, Emma Selhime, Anna Reeder, Nate Horstman, Kaylee Morrow, Jillian Garcia
1ST PLACE
Jillian Garcia of Decatur Eisenhower High School, Decatur, IL
2ND PLACE
Ace O’Malley of Southeast High School, Springfield, IL
3RD PLACE
Emma Selhime of Pawnee High School, Pawnee, IL
CENTRAL ILLINOIS REGIONAL CONTESTANTS
Jillian Garcia of Eisenhower High School, Decatur, IL
Andre Heard and Ace O’Malley of Southeast High School, Springfield, IL
Kaylee Morrow and Emma Selhime of Pawnee High School, Pawnee, IL
Nate Horstman and Anna Reeder of Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, Springfield, IL
Zoe Reinbold of Springfield High School, Springfield, IL