The 2018 Arizona Poetry Out Loud Regional Finals will be held in Tucson, Flagstaff, and Phoenix in February 2018. At each event, the top students from each region’s participating schools will compete to represent the region at the State Finals in March. These events are free and open to the public.
2018 Poetry Out Loud Regional Competition Schedule
Southern Region Competition
Saturday, February 10, 2018
1:00 – 3:00pm
University of Arizona Poetry Center
1508 East Helen Street
Tucson, AZ 85719
Northern Region Competition
Saturday, February 10, 2018
1:00 – 3:00pm
Native American Cultural Center at NAU, Building 14
318 West McCreary Drive
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
Central Region Competition
Saturday, February 24, 2108
12:00 – 4:00pm
Gary K. Herberger Young Scholars Academy
4825 University Way North
Phoenix, AZ 85051
About Poetry Out Loud
The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation partner with the State Arts Agencies to bring the Poetry Out Loud (POL) program to all 50 states and US territories. In Arizona, Poetry Out Loud (POL), is administered by the Arizona Commission on the Arts in collaboration with POL Regional Partners.
Program Structure and Curriculum
Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure that begins at the classroom level. Winners advance to a school-wide competition, then to a regional and/or state competition, and ultimately to the National Finals. The curriculum for POL is designed to fit into a teacher’s busy schedule. The program takes place over the span of two to three weeks, according to each teacher’s interest and agenda, and does not require full class periods during that time. Poetry Out Loud satisfies most of the National Council of Teachers of English Language Arts Standards. In addition to memorizing and performing great poems, students have the opportunity to discuss poetry and – if the teacher wishes to use the supplemental lesson plans – to write poetry of their own.
