The Chicago Poetry Center is now in its 7th 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.
This February the Chicagoland Regionals were held at the Poetry Foundation. Teens from 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! Students’ 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 11th. 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 2024 Chicagoland Regionals were:
Chicagoland Regional Poetry Out Loud Coordinator: Joy Young, poet, teaching artist
Recitation Judges:
Nicole Bond: poet, educator
Leslie Reese: poet, teaching artist
Tor Warren: poet, teaching artist
Scorekeeper: Fullamusu Bangura, poet, teaching artist
Accuracy Judge: Ola Faleti, poet, teaching artist
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
Ainsley Williams (1st Place) University of Chicago Lab Schools
Jesus Chavarria (2nd Place) Stephen T. Mather High School
Gabriel Sakoda (3rd Place/Alternate) Von Steuben High School
Bobbie Bell Gary Comer College Prep
Patrick Cunningham Taft High School
Ciel Quintanilla Intrinsic Schools-Belmont Campus
Metro/Suburban Regional Participants & Winners
Yohanna Endashaw (1st Place) Niles West High School
Lila Peck (2rd Place) Deerfield High School
Tiya Shah (3rd Place) John Hersey High School
Bianca Joaquin Niles North High School
Lena Trinh East Leyden High School
John Kipp Northridge Preparatory School
Daniel Bullen Wheaton Warrenville South H.S.
Richard Pitts Homewood-Flossmoor High School
Kielani Flores Rolling Meadows High School
*Photos of competition Photographed by Glenn Willoughby
This program is made possible with support by the Illinois Arts Council Agency
