Poetry Out Loud Resources & Links
Information for Washington State programs is current to the 2025-26 school year.
National information for Poetry Out Loud is being revised by the national office and will be released October 1, 2025.
2025-2026 Fact Sheet | Learn more about the Poetry Out Loud program in Washington
Poetry Out Loud (POL) is a national poetry recitation competition program for high school students that brings poetry to life through memorization and performance. Students develop public speaking skills, boost self-confidence, and find new ways to express themselves creatively. The program is flexible, free, and easy to implement in classrooms or as an extracurricular activity.
POL for Schools
- Registration is open to all public, private, tribal, and alternative high schools in Washington (grades 9–12).
- Schools identify 2-3 teachers and 1 POL lead teacher to organize your school-wide competition. Exceptions can be made, contact us with questions.
- Registered schools work with a regional coordinator as school champions move on to compete in one of four regional finals. Regional champions move on to the state final.
- All students are eligible for participation and advancement in this program.
POL Virtual (for individual students)
- Registration is open to Washington-based students in grades 9-12 who:
- Are homeschooled, or
- Attend a non-participating high school, or
- Attend an online, hybrid, or international school.
- Limit of 4 students from an individual school can register for POL Virtual.
- POL Virtual students will need access to a computer and reliable internet.
- POL Virtual will hold its own online competition. The champion will go on to represent POL Virtual at the State Final.
Students compete at their classroom level, then at school-wide events. School champions and POL Virtual participants advance to one of five Regional Finals. Winners from Regional Finals then compete at the Washington State Final. The State Champion represents Washington State at the National Finals.
- Registration: August 18, 2025 – November 21, 2025
- Classroom/Virtual participation: Sept 2025 and early Jan 2026
- School Finals deadline: January 16, 2026
- Regional Finals deadline: February 9, 2026; dates vary by region
- State Final: March 7, 2026
- National Finals: April 27-29, 2026
Additional information and online registration: www.arts.wa.gov/poetry-out-loud/
Judy Cullen, Poetry Out Loud State Coordinator: poetry.out.loud@arts.wa.gov
National Poetry Out Loud website: www.poetryoutloud.org
The program is organized nationally by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. The Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA) coordinates the Washington State program.
Online Sessions: Times and Dates will be posted and announced as they become available for both Teacher networking/professional development sessions, and the Statewide Online Workshop for students and teachers.
Lesson Plan Materials
- Poetry Out Loud in the Classroom: An Alternate Method
- Creating a Visual Poem
- Color Your Words – Purple Words
- Poem Analysis
- Poetry Speed Dating
- Poetry Square Analysis
- Poetry Stations
- Understanding Your Poem
- Poetry Out Loud website | Access poetry resources and lesson plans
- Find Poems | access a poetry anthology of over 1100 poems
- How-to Videos | How to choose a poem, learning recitation, and other tips
- National POL Video Channel | Watch past competitions and other examples
Social Media
ArtsWA Facebook | ArtsWA Twitter | POL Facebook | Poetry Out Loud Twitter | Poetry Foundation
Contact us
For more information about this program, please send our Poetry Out Loud coordinator an email.