The Chicago Poetry Center is now in its 8th year as Chicagoland Regional Host Organization for the national youth poetry competition, Poetry Out Loud. Poetry Out Loud is a collaborative project of the Illinois Arts Council Agency and seven arts agencies, each of which hosts a regional contest. The Chicago Poetry Center is grateful for the support of the Illinois Arts Council Agency and for the opportunity to partner as regional hosts for Chicagoland. 2025 marks the 20th Anniversary of Poetry Out Loud that began in 2005. This February the Chicagoland Regionals were held at the Poetry Foundation.
On February 5 and February 12, teens from the Chicago area city and suburban schools competed for a spot at the state competition and the opportunity to advance to the national competition in Washington DC in May to win $20,000! There were also special guests, which included the Education Programs Manager of the Poetry Foundation (Justine Haka), Executive Director of the Illinois Arts Council Agency (Joshua Davis-Ruperto), and Illinois Arts Humanities Program Manager (Margy LaFreniere) who came to support and share their own inspiring words about poetry to celebrate this milestone year.
Recitation performances were judged by our wonderful panel. The 1st and 2nd place City and Suburban winners will progress to the Illinois state competition level in Springfield on March 17th. In case either the 1st or 2nd place winner is unable to attend, the 3rd place winner will go to the state competition in their place.
Judges Panel for the 2025 Chicagoland Regionals were:
Chicagoland Regional Poetry Out Loud Coordinator: Joy Young, poet, teaching artist
Recitation Judges:
Ola Faleti: CPC Poet-in-Residence
Leslie Reese: CPC Poet-in-Residence
C. Russell Price: CPC Poet-in-Residence
Scorekeeper: Fullamusu Bangura, CPC Poet-in-Residence
Accuracy Judge: Alyx Chandler, CPC Poet-in-Residence
Prompter: Ayme Frye, musician, songwriter
M.C./ Speaker: Jennifer Karmin, writer, performer
The Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest is a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through analysis, memorization, performance, and competition. The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, in conjunction with state arts agencies, support this nation-wide program with participants from all fifty states plus Washington, D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
Congrats to all the students who participated in the competition. We wish good luck to our City and Suburban 1st and 2nd place winners as they prepare for the State Competition. Many thanks to the CPC poets and community that supported this effort. The Chicago Poetry Center thanks the Illinois Arts Council Agency for its partnership and support of this project. For more information about the competition please click the link Poetry Out Loud
City Regional Participants & Winners
Charles Kaffer (1st Place) The Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences
Vanessa Perez Cano (2nd Place) Stephen T. Mather High School
Ace Demma (3rd Place/Alternate) Von Steuben High School
Yawa Koutoh Gary Comer College Prep
Evelin Garcia Taft High School
Karina Hans The University of Chicago Lab Schools
Image of City Schools Regional Winner: Charles Kaffer
Metro/Suburban Regional Participants & Winners
Jaden Conley (1st Place) Niles West High School
Elliana Sheehan (2rd Place) Wheaton Warrenville South H.S.
Jada Williams (3rd Place) Homewood-Flossmoor High School
Tanvi Shah John Hersey High School
Lily Hammon East Leyden High School
Jimmy Lothian Northridge Preparatory School
Jesscia Gordan Deerfield High School
Joseph Georgian Niles North High School
Image of Metro/Suburban Schools Regionals Winner: Jaden Conley
*Photos of competition Photographed by Glenn Willoughby
This program is made possible with support by the Illinois Arts Council Agency
