Announcing Poetry Out Loud 2026, a national poetry recitation contest for students in grades 9-12. The contest is now open! MoSt Poetry is the organizer of the Stanislaus County POL contest.
The Poetry Out Loud website, Teachers and Organizers, has a wealth of information for interested schools. The website includes the poems from which students can choose, helpful hints for teachers and advisors, and videos of past recitations! Watch the short POL Facilitator Promo Video for more information.
There is no cost to participate!
Poetry Out Loud is flexible. Some models include classroom or grade level POL competitions, club competitions, or sometimes even individual students want to take part. They do need a staff advisor, but this could be a classroom teacher, a librarian, or another staff member. If help is needed, MoSt is only an email away, and we can even send a poetry coach to help if you’d like.
Email Gillian Wegener at info@mostpoetry.org today for more information or to say you’re all in!
Timeline
Now-December: Students choose and memorize poems from the POL website. Let Gillian know you’re interested so she can keep you in the loop
January – Gillian will register all participating schools with the State Poetry Out Loud organization. Students will practice their poems. Schools hold their school competitions and choose students to go on to the County Competition.
February – The Stanislaus County Poetry Out Loud competition will be held on or around February 4. All winners have to be registered with the State POL organization by February 9. Each county can send one person, but we’ll also have an alternate, just in case. Our county finalist and the alternate both win prizes!
March – The State Poetry Out Loud competition is held in Sacramento on March 16-17, 2026. The State pays for meals and hotel for the finalists and their chaperones. MoSt pays for transportation costs.
May – The winner of the CA competition gets to go to the National Finals in Washington DC!