Poetry Out Loud (POL) is a national arts education program created by the National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation and presented by Colorado Creative Industries and Lighthouse Writers Workshop. Poetry Out Loud encourages young performers to bring the words of great poets to life through memorization, recitation, and competitive performance. Since 2005, more than 4.1 million students and 68,000 teachers from 17,000 schools nationwide have participated in Poetry Out Loud. That’s more than 4 million students who have learned at least one poem by heart! In Colorado, approximately 39,000 students have participated in the program, learning the power of poetry first hand.
Check out this video to hear from past Poetry Out Loud State Finalists about their experiences with the program. For more information about POL in Colorado, please contact the POL State Coordinator at [email protected]
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About
Poetry Out Loud (POL) is a free, national program offered by the National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation in partnership with Colorado Creative Industries and Lighthouse Writers Workshop, and is open to all Colorado high school students, grades 9-12. Poetry Out Loud encourages students to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. Students who participate in POL develop and improve their public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and discover a love of poetry and the written word. Registration is open until January 17th, 2023!
Important Dates
Check here for all of the important info and deadlines you need for the 2022-2023 Poetry Out Loud season.
Get Involved
Whether you're a student, parent, teacher, librarian, community organizer, poet, performer, or volunteer, there are many ways to get involved with Poetry Out Loud. Schools, community and homeschool organizations, and youth centers are all welcome to participate.
Colorado POL Winners
Congratulations to National & Colorado’s 2022 Poetry Out Loud Champion, Aidyn Reid, from Fountain Valley School in Colorado Springs!