Poetry Out Loud in New England

By Olivia J. Kiers

For the 11th consecutive year, high school student across the United States have been competing in Poetry Out Loud (POL), a competition that brings poetry to life through live recitation. March has been a month of state finals, and Art New England is happy to take a moment to congratulate the six state champions from the New England region. All state champions receive $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for nationals in May. The POL national champion will receive $20,000. ANE wishes the New England finalists the best of luck!

Emily Saunders. Photo courtesy Department of Economic and Community Development, Connecticut Office of the Arts

17-year-old senior Emily Saunders (Region Hebron, Andover and Marlborough High School) is the Connecticut state champion. She competed on March 15 at Torp Theater, on the campus of Central Connecticut State University in New Britain. 

Rose Horowitz. Photo Courtesy Maine Arts Commission.

Rose Horowitz (Mt. Ararat High School) competed in a group of ten student finalists to win the state championship in Maine at the Waterville Opera House on March 15. Horowitz recited three poems, “In the Basement of the Goodwill Store” by Ted Kooser, “Mrs. Caldera’s House of Things” by Gregory Djakikian and “On an Unsociable Family” by Elizabeth Hands.  

Courtney Stewart. Photo credit: David Marshall.

On March 13 at the Old South Meeting House in Boston, Courtney Stewart (Springfield Central High School) secured the Massachusetts state championship. Poetry Out Loud is facilitated by the Huntington Theater Company in Massachusetts, highlighting the link between poetry and performance in this competition. 

Danielle Corbett. Photo credit: Allegra Boverman.

In New Hampshire, Danielle Corbett (Jesse Remington High School) won the championship on March 21. Close to 10,000 students participated in POL in New Hampshire this year!

Austin Paulhus. Photo courtesy Rhode Island State Council on the Arts.

Austin Paulhus (Central Falls High School) is Rhode Island’s state champion, shown here beside the POL microphone logo. The state final, attended by Rhode Island poet laureate Lisa Starr, was held in Rhode Island School of Design Museum’s Metcalf Auditorium on March 13. 

Maggie Fitzgerald. Photo credit: Sam Simon Imagery.

Vermont’s state final was taped before a live audience at Vermont PBS on March 17, and was won by Maggie Fitzgerald (Rice Memorial High School). Finals will be aired on Vermont PBS on Friday, April 29 starting at 8 p.m.