The Indiana Arts Commission announced educators and students are invited to sign up to participate in the Poetry Out Loud program.

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program for high school students that encourages the study of poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country. The program helps students master public speaking skills and build self-confidence, while also learning more about both classic and contemporary poetry.

The Indiana Poetry Out Loud state competition will be held virtually in March 2022. The champion will advance to the national finals, to take place in April 2022, where $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be distributed.

Held in conjunction with Poetry Out Loud, Poetry Ourselves is a statewide original poetry competition for high school students. Any student currently enrolled in grades 9-12 in the state of Indiana can submit one poem to the competition. Award recipients will receive a cash prize and have their poems entered into the INverse Indiana Poetry Archive. Poetry Ourselves will again welcome students from across the state to submit their original poetry beginning October 1, 2021.

Educators and students that are interested in the Poetry Out Loud must sign up by November 19, 2021 to participate. Click here to access the sign up form.