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.

The 2024 season marks the 19^th anniversary of Poetry Out Loud. Since its inception, the program has grown to reach more than 4.1 million students and 68,000 teachers from 17,000 schools and organizations in every state, American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The 2024 National Contest will take place April 30-May 2 at Lisner Auditorium in Washington, D.C.

2024 Illinois State Contest

Yohanna Endashaw of Niles West High School (Skokie) was named the 2024 Illinois State Poetry Out Loud Champion at the Illinois State Contest held at the Hoogland Center for the Arts on March 11, 2024.

She will advance to the National Contest in Washington, D.C. in May.

Kate Roth of Champaign Central High School (Champaign) was named runner-up.

The winners were awarded by Illinois Arts Council Program Director, Angelique Grandone.

Other contestants in the Illinois State Contest were:

Jesus Chavarria, Stephen T. Mather High School (Chicago)
Nico DeGuzman, Chester High School (Chester)
Leo Dunahee, Nashville Community High School (Nashville)
Maya Hatch, Edwardsville Community High School (Edwardsville)
Ryan LeBeau, Thomas Jefferson High School (Rockford)
Ella Meyer, Lutheran High School (Springfield)
Ravin Morey, Annawan High School (Annawan)
Lila Peck, Deerfield High School (Deerfield)
Andrea Portilla, Thomas Jefferson High School (Rockford)
Anna Probst, Teutopolis High School (Teutopolis)
Ashyla Richards, Southeast High School (Springfield)
Gabriel Sakoda, Frederick Von Steuben High School (Chicago)
Norah Washington, Edwardsville Community High School (Edwardsville)
Eleanor Wilbur, Orion High School (Orion)

Contest staff for the Illinois State Contest included:

Coordinator: Sheila Walk
Recitation judges: Nana Becoat, Allison Funk, Ted Morrissey, and Christopher Sims
Accuracy judge: Anne Bishoff
Scorekeeper: Bob Jessup
Prompter: Carey Smith
Photographer: William Richards

2024 Central Illinois Regional Contest

Ashyla Richards of Springfield Southeast High School, earned first place in the Central Illinois Poetry Out Loud Contest held at the Hoogland Center for the Arts on Thursday afternoon, February 15, 2024 .

Ella Meyer of Springfield Lutheran High School and Avery Arisman of Sacred Heart-Griffin High School were the second- and third-place finishers in the competition.

Richards and Meyer will advance to the Illinois State Contest on March 11^th. The Illinois State Contest will feature recitations by two students from each Poetry Out Loud region in the state. The Illinois State champion will advance to the national contest.

More than 1,000 students and 22 teachers in 6 schools began the 2024 Poetry Out Loud season in central Illinois last fall.

Other contestants in the Central Illinois Regional Contest were:

Nadia Currie and Jillian Garcia, Eisenhower High School (Decatur)
Morgan Hoekstra and Aryana Ruiz, Eureka High School (Eureka)
Marianna Curtis and Emma Selhime, Pawnee High School (Pawnee)
Anna Reeder, Sacred Heart-Griffin High School (Springfield)
Kallie Padget, Southeast High School (Springfield)

Contest staff for the Central Illinois Regional Contest included:

Coordinator: Sheila Walk
Recitation judges: Tim Crawford, John Paul Jaramillo, LJ Pemberton
Accuracy judge: Anne Bishoff
Scorekeeper: Bob Jessup
Prompter: Carey Smith

Illinois Poetry Out Loud 2023 from Dave Cain / UMEDIA, Inc.

The Illinois Arts Council Agency works with these regional partners to produce Poetry Out Loud in Illinois:

For more information, please visit www.poetryoutloud.org, call 217-753-3519, or email SAAC Education Director, Sheila Walk at programs@springfieldartsco.org.