The registration deadline for the 2025–2026 Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest has been officially extended to December 15, giving more time for schools and students across Alaska to enroll in the nationwide competition.
Poetry Out Loud is designed to bring poetry to life by encouraging students to perform classic and contemporary works aloud. The program helps participants strengthen public speaking skills, build confidence, and deepen their appreciation for poetry through memorization and performance.
The competition is open to schools serving grades 9–12, as well as individual at-large high school students who do not have a school program available. Teachers and administrators are encouraged to register early so students have time to select poems, practice, and prepare for local and statewide competitions.
Poetry Out Loud is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, coordinated in Alaska by state arts organizations. Winners advance through school, regional, and state competitions, with state champions earning a place at the national finals in Washington, D.C.
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Students, educators, and at-large participants can register through their state program’s official Poetry Out Loud portal.
More information about the 2025–2026 Alaska competition, including rules and resources, will be released as the season progresses.
