A national poetry recitation contest from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation in which high school students recite poems and advance from classroom and school contests to state and national finals. State winners receive $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC, with an adult chaperone. At the national finals, the champion receives $20,000, second place $10,000, and third place $5,000, and finalists' schools get $500 for poetry materials.
Offered by National Endowment for the Arts & Poetry Foundation. Competition for high school students in USA. Format: In-person. Cost: Free. Grades 9–12. Deadline: rolling or not yet announced.
Fields: Writing, Humanities, Performance
Info checked October 2026.
No date is posted for the 2026-27 cycle yet. Check the official page for when applications open.
Yes. Poetry Out Loud is free to take part in.
High school students in grades 9 to 12. It takes place in person in nationwide. Age, residency and citizenship rules are on the official page.
More academic competitions for high school students