“For me, there is just something magical about getting up in front of a crowd and reciting works of poetry,” says 17 year-old Matthew Kaplan of Phoenix. “This year I treated Poetry Out Loud less as a competition than I had in years past, and I have loved every moment.”
On March 15th, 2014, Matthew claimed the title of state champion at Arizona’s 9th Annual Poetry Out Loud State Finals competition. A program of the National Endowment of the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, administered in Arizona by the Arizona Commission on the Arts and its regional partners, the University of Arizona Poetry Center and Arizona State University’s Young Writers Program, Poetry Out Loud encourages youth to learn about poetry through memorization and recitation.Though only a junior, this was Matthew’s third year participating in Poetry Out Loud.
“I competed first as a freshman and won the school’s competition, but did not advance past Regionals,” Matthew reports. “The second year, I did not advance past the classroom level, and now this year I am beyond excited to be representing the state of Arizona at Nationals.”
Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure that begins at the classroom level. Reciting poems they have chosen from a list prepared by the Poetry Foundation, students compete in two rounds at each level of the competition. Winners advance to a school-wide competition, then to a regional and/or state competition, and ultimately to the National Finals. Nearly 13,000 Arizona high school students competed in the program this year.
“I was first attracted to the Poetry Out Loud program after my 8th grade English class watched our school’s competition,” says Matthew. “After seeing the high schoolers performing, I knew instantly that this was something that I wanted to try. Although I had no expectation that I would be any good at it, I figured that it was worth a shot!”
Left to right: Matthew Kaplan; 1st Runner-Up Sorrel Fivecoat of Tucson; Bob Booker, Executive Director of the Arizona Commission on the Arts; 2nd Runner-Up Leah Weinzinger of Flagstaff. Photo by Jeff Smith, courtesy of University of Arizona Poetry Center
Poetry Out Loud is designed to complement and support the established high school English curriculum. At the school level, the program takes place over the span of two to three weeks and does not require full class periods during that time. 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.
“I love reciting the work of other poets, but after I did my first Poetry Out Loud competition, I decided to take a stab at writing my own,” Matthew tells us. “While I do not share my poetry, I think that it is an amazing means of self-expression, and I write whenever I can.”
According to Matthew, this is the greatest gift he’ll take away from his participation in the program.
“Before Poetry Out Loud, poetry was not at all a big part of my life. My first real exposure to poetry was through the program…. now more than ever I want to continue to explore writing my own poetry.”
Though that may be the greatest gift, the competition also provides material rewards. As state champion, Matthew received a $200 prize as well as an all-expenses paid trip to the National Competition for himself and a companion (Matthew will be accompanied by his mother). The winner of the National Finals competition will receive a $20,000 scholarship. With such a big prize on the line, Matthew is leaving nothing to chance.
“I have prepared for Finals by practicing my poems every day,” Matthew assures us. “While I do not have a performance coach, I have worked extensively with my English teachers on analyzing each poem so that I have a grounded understanding of the author’s intentions when I do my recitation.”
Specifically, Matthew has prepared the following poems:
“Candles” by Carl Dennis
“It Isn’t Me” by James Lasdun
“I felt a Funeral in My Brain” by Emily Dickinson
For more information on how you or your school can participate in Poetry Out Loud, visit www.azarts.gov/programs/poetry-out-loud.
On Saturday, March 2, nine exceptional young people will compete for the opportunity to represent the State of Arizona at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, DC, and a shot at the grand prize: a $20,000 college scholarship. The registration portal for 2024 Arizona Poetry Out Loud is now open! Teachers and educators working with high school-level students can register to participate through October 31, 2023. On Saturday, March 11, 2023, UArizona Poetry Center in Tucson hosted the the Arizona Poetry Out Loud State Finals. Nine exceptional young people competed for the opportunity to represent Arizona at the National Finals. We're delighted to announce Arizona's 2023 Champion: Biruni Hariadi! On Saturday, March 11, nine exceptional young people will compete for the opportunity to represent the State of Arizona at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, DC, and a shot at the grand prize: a $20,000 college scholarship. On June 5, 2022, Arizona's 2022 Poetry Out Loud State Champion, Oscar Landa Samano, placed third in the final round of the Poetry Out Loud National Finals. 
2024 Arizona Poetry Out Loud State Finals
Register Now for 2024 Poetry Out Loud!
Biruni Hariadi is Arizona's 2023 Poetry Out Loud State Champion!
2023 Arizona Poetry Out Loud State Finals
Arizona's State Champion Places Third in National Poetry Recitation Competition
