Poetry Out Loud - Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture

Poetry Out Loud is open to high school students in all kinds of schools — public, private, parochial, independent, charter and home schooled students. Registration is closed until October 1st, 2024.

Our longstanding Poetry Out Loud program is back to live participation by high school students who commit to memorizing and reciting poems in front of an audience. Students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage. Following a public competition each year, a champion from each county is chosen to attend the state finals.

There are opportunities for scholarships, prize money, and a competition that ends with a pizza party!

Yuba County & Sutter County Students who are high-school level. Whether you attend public school, private school, charter school, homeschooling, hybrid schooling, alternative education, etc. Only currently enrolled students in grades 9-12 are eligible, with an exception made for 8th-grade students participating in a 9th- through 12th-grade class.

If you are enrolled in a Yuba County or Sutter County high school level school or program, but live in another county, you are eligible to participate.

1. Head to PoetryOutLoud.org

Spend time looking for a poem on the website’s anthology. You cannot use a poem you have written. The poem you chose to recite must be on the anthology on the website.

Poem Anthology: All poems must be selected from the Poetry Out Loud print or online anthology, which is updated every summer. Check the website after September 1, 2024, to view the official POL anthology for the current school year. Only versions of poems from the official anthology may be used in the competition.

Browse Poems

2. Fill Out Form

Fill out the form. This is REQUIRED to participate. The form must be submitted by January 29th, 2025 by 11:59:00pm Pacific Standard Time.

If changes need to be made to the form you submit (example: changing your poem) it must be done by the deadline.

No exceptions on this deadline! Find the form below!

Yuba-Sutter Poetry Out Loud Submission Form

Submit this form before January 29, 2025 11:59:00 PST to be entered into the county-wide POL competition! There will be NO EXCEPTIONS if you are late to register. If you want to change your poem, it MUST be done before the deadline. NO EXCEPTIONS!
Full Name*
First Last
Age*
This competition is open ONLY to High School Students. Regardless if student is home-schooled, in private or public school, etc.
Please enter a number from 13 to 18.
What are your pronouns?*

Example: he/him, she/her, they/them, zey/zem, xer/xem, etc. Make sure the pronouns you pick are safe for us to use in public for competition. Your safety is important!
Name of High School you are attending:*
Name of Educator who told you about Poetry Out Loud?*

First and Last Name Please
Title of Poem:*
Title of Poet:*
How did you find out about POL?*
Was it an in-class presentation, flier, friend, educator, annoucements, etc.?
What is your email? (Non-School Email Please!)*
Cell Phone Number*
Mailing Address? Address, City, Zip Code*
Parent Name & Parent Email (optional)
Do you need/want coaching?*
- Yes
- No
Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice!

Practice memorizing and performing your poem!

What some extra help? Contact Shawntay at shawntay@yubasutterarts.org to get FREE coaching. Coaching will happen on your time either in-person or virtually.

Find resources on how competing works and find tips & tricks at the link below.

Tips on Competing