Poetry Out Loud Scholarship Contest
Direct application
Eligibility
About this scholarship
U.S. high school students in grades 9 through 12 (and 8th graders enrolled in a 9th through 12th grade class) who memorize and perform poems from the official Poetry Out Loud anthology may compete through registered school and state programs. Homeschooled students may participate through a local school or with other homeschooled students at the school's discretion.
National finals in Washington, D.C., include cash prizes from the Poetry Foundation, with awards totaling up to $20,000 for the champion plus additional finalist prizes. Nine national awards are listed. Students must compete at a lower level before advancing to state finals, then to nationals. Prizes are not transferable; state champions and runners-up need a valid tax ID or Social Security number to receive funds.
Essay questions
What else to submit
- Select, memorize, and recite poems from the official Poetry Out Loud anthology
- Compete through live spoken recitation advancing from school to state to national level
- Judged on oral performance criteria: physical presence, voice and articulation, evidence of understanding, interpretation, accuracy, and overall performance
- Homeschooled students may participate through a local school or with other homeschooled students at the school's discretion.
- National finalists are judged on physical presence, voice and articulation, evidence of understanding, interpretation, accuracy, and overall performance.
- State champions and runners-up need a valid tax ID or Social Security number to receive funds.