Poetry Out Loud is a national poetry recitation contest for high school students that begins in the classroom, includes statewide competitions, like the Arizona competition airing on Arizona PBS, and culminates with the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington D.C. By inviting the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word and theatre into the English class, Poetry Out Loud encourages the nation s youth to learn about great poetry by studying, memorizing and performing some of the most influential and timeless poems of the English language. Through Poetry Out Loud, students can master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage. The inspiration for this program is to promote poetry in both the classroom and the community. Poetry Out Loud provides an entry point for many students to learn to love poetry and own their favorite poems for a lifetime. A program of the National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation, Poetry Out Loud is administered in all 50 states and three territories through partnerships with state arts agencies
