INDIANA – Indiana Humanities is bringing back Poetry Out Loud® to help students master public speaking skills and build self-confidence while learning more about classical and contemporary poetry.
During the fall, schools and non-school organizations are invited to hold classroom and school-wide contests, with students advancing to a state competition. From there, state champions will advance to the national finals, which are planned to take place in Washington, D.C., in the spring of 2025, where $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be distributed.
High schools and organizations that wish to participate in the 2024-25 Poetry Out Loud program must submit their intent with either the student/individual or school/organization form by Dec. 6, 2024. Indiana Humanities will work with interested schools and organizations to include them in the official Poetry Out Loud program.
Here is the 2024-25 competition timeline, including webinars for those interested in learning more about the program and its process.
- Sept. 1: 2024-2025 Poetry Out Loud anthology released
- Sept. 5, 2024: Informational Webinar hosted by Indiana Humanities
- Oct. 15, 2024: Informational Webinar hosted by Indiana Humanities
- Dec. 6, 2024: Intent to Participate form
- January–March 2025: Coaching available to students
- Feb. 7, 2025: Finalist registration deadline
- Feb. 14, 2025: Finalists submit two recitation videos virtually
- Feb. 17, 2025: Finalists invited to Third Round/State Finals in Indianapolis
- Mar. 1, 2025: Indiana State Finals
- May 5-7, 2025: National Finals in Washington, D.C.
Email Hailey DeWolf, Poetry Out Loud coordinator, at hdewolf@indianahumanities.org if you have questions.
