POETRY OUT LOUD
The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation partner 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 2025 season marks the 20th 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.
2025 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 304
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
Midwest Writing Center
Illinois State Contest
Illinois teenagers will compete for the title of state champion and a trip to the national finals during which special guest Angela Jackson, Illinois Poet Laureate, will read some of her works. She also will present an exclusive workshop for students, teachers, and judges the evening before.
Monday
March 17, 2025
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
Central Illinois Regional Contest
Thursday
February 13, 2025
4:00 P.M.
Peggy Ryder Theatre
Hoogland Center for the Arts
420 S 6th St, Springfield IL
Free
Open to the Public
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
Decatur
Eisenhower High School
Edwardsville
Edwardsville Community High School
Jacksonville
Routt High School
Pawnee
Pawnee High School
Springfield
Lutheran High School
Sacred Heart-Griffin High School
Southeast High School
2025 CENTRAL ILLINOIS REGIONAL CONTEST
Photos by William Richards Photography.
940 students, 23 teachers, and 7 schools participated in the 2025 Poetry Out Loud season in central Illinois.
Front row, left to right: Emyleina Garcia, Jillian Garcia, Jada Jackson, Anna Reeder, Ashyla Richards. Back row, left to right: Ella Meyer, Avery Arisman, Emma Selhime, Gwenn Freeman.
1ST PLACE
Ashyla Richards of Southeast High School, Springfield, IL
2ND PLACE
Jada Jackson of Southeast High School, Springfield, IL
3RD PLACE
Jillian Garcia of Decatur Eisenhower High School, Decatur, IL
CENTRAL ILLINOIS REGIONAL CONTESTANTS
Gwynn Freeman of Edwardsville High School, Edwardsville, IL
Emyleina Garcia and Jillian Garcia of Eisenhower High School, Decatur, IL
Ella Meyer of Lutheran High School, Springfield, IL
Emma Selhime of Pawnee High School, Pawnee, IL
Avery Arisman and Anna Reeder of Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, Springfield, IL
Jada Jackson and Ashyla Richards of Southeast High School, Springfield, IL
CENTRAL ILLINOIS REGIONAL CONTEST STAFF
Coordinator
Sheila Walk
Recitation Judges
Patrick Johnson
Dominique Stevenson
LaDonna Wilson-Leach
Accuracy Judge
Thèa Chesley
Scorekeeper
Bob Jessup
Prompter
Carey Smith
2024 ILLINOIS STATE CONTEST
Photos by William Richards Photography.
ILLINOIS STATE CHAMPION
Yohanna Endashaw of Niles West High School, Skokie, IL
Angelique Grandone and Yohanna Endashaw.
ILLINOIS STATE RUNNER-UP
Kate Roth of Champaign Central High School, Champaign, IL
Angelique Grandone and Kate Roth.
ILLINOIS STATE CONTESTANTS
Jesus Chavarria of Stephen T. Mather High School, Chicago, IL
Nico DeGuzman of Chester High School, Chester, IL
Leo Dunahee of Nashville Community High School, Nashville, IL
Yohanna Endashaw of Niles West High School, Skokie, IL
Maya Hatch of Edwardsville Community High School, Edwardsville, IL
Ryan LeBeau of Thomas Jefferson High School, Rockford, IL
Ella Meyer of Lutheran High School, Springfield, IL
Ravin Morey of Annawan High School, Annawan, IL
Lila Peck of Deerfield High School, Deerfield, IL
Andrea Portilla of Thomas Jefferson High School, Rockford, IL
Anna Probst of Teutopolis High School, Teutopolis, IL
Ashyla Richards of Southeast High School, Springfield, IL
Kate Roth of Champaign Central High School, Champaign, IL
Gabriel Sakoda of Frederick Von Steuben High School, Chicago, IL
Norah Washington of Edwardsville Community High School, Edwardsville, IL
Eleanor Wilbur of Orion High School, Orion, IL
ILLINOIS STATE CONTEST STAFF
Coordinator
Sheila Walk
Recitation Judges
Nana Becoat
Allison Funk
Ted Morrissey
Christopher Sims
Accuracy Judge
Anne Bishoff
Scorekeeper
Bob Jessup
Prompter
Carey Smith
Award Presentation
Angelique Grandone
2024 CENTRAL ILLINOIS REGIONAL CONTEST
Photos by William Richards Photography.
More than 1,000 students and 22 teachers in 6 schools participated in the 2024 Poetry Out Loud season in central Illinois.
Front row, left to right: Avery Arisman, Morgan Hoekstra, Aryana Ruiz, Emma Selhime, Ella Meyer. Back row, left to right: Anna Reeder, Kallie Padget, Ashyla Richards, Nadia Currie, Marianna Curtis, Jillian Garcia.
1ST PLACE
Ashyla Richards of Southeast High School, Springfield, IL
2ND PLACE
Ella Meyer of Lutheran High School, Springfield, IL
3RD PLACE
Avery Arisman of Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, Springfield, IL
CENTRAL ILLINOIS REGIONAL CONTESTANTS
Nadia Currie and Jillian Garcia of Eisenhower High School, Decatur, IL
Morgan Hoekstra and Aryana Ruiz of Eureka High School, Eureka, IL
Marianna Curtis and Emma Selhime of Pawnee High School, Pawnee, IL
Ella Meyer of Lutheran High School, Springfield, IL
Avery Arisman and Anna Reeder of Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, Springfield, IL
Kallie Padget and Ashyla Richards of Southeast High School, Springfield, IL
CENTRAL ILLINOIS REGIONAL CONTEST STAFF
Coordinator
Sheila Walk
Recitation Judges
Tim Crawford
John Paul Jaramillo
LJ Pemberton
Accuracy Judge
Anne Bishoff
Scorekeeper
Bob Jessup
Prompter
Carey Smith