Poetry Out Loud is a nationwide contest that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. Students who participate in Poetry Out Loud practice public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage.

Benefits of Poetry Out Loud to your school include:

• Skill building for your students.
• Free professional development workshops for teachers and library-media specialists.
• Free workshops for students with professional poets and performance coaches.
• Involvement in a statewide and nationwide program.
• Prizes! Cash prizes, trophies and public recognition for your students and school.

Teachers customize the Poetry Out Loud program to best fit their school. Poetry Out Loud can be used in the classroom or as an extracurricular activity.

To learn more or to participate in Poetry Out Loud as a teacher, school system, or teaching artist, please visit the CTHumanities.org website.

Poetry Out Loud is a partnership of the Connecticut Center for the Book at Connecticut Humanities, the Connecticut Office of the Arts at Department of Economic and Community Development, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Poetry Foundation.