Students Compete in Poetry Out Loud

Contributed by Dana Hall

Chariho Regional High School proudly announces Carter Stolt, Adaline LaBossiere, and Penelope Nicolas as school-level Poetry Out Loud contest winners. On Friday, January 17, 2025, ten students competed in the recitation competition, presenting works selected from an anthology of over 1,100 poems. Judges evaluated their performances on voice, articulation, evidence of understanding, and accuracy.

The judging panel included Chariho alums and former school-level Poetry Out Loud first-place winners Laura Donnelly (2020) and Regan Clark (2024), who brought unique experiences and insights to the competition. “We invited alumni to judge because they’ve competed at the state level and understand firsthand what judges are looking for in a winning recitation,” said Dana Hall, Humanities Specialist. “Their insights not only ensure fairness but also inspire current students by showing them what’s possible.” 

First-place winner Carter Stolt will represent Chariho at the Rhode Island State Poetry Out Loud contest at the Providence Public Library on Saturday, March 8, 2025. The state champion will advance to the national finals, where $50,000 in awards will be distributed.

Poetry Out Loud, presented in partnership with the Rhode Island Council for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and Poetry Foundation, encourages the study of great poetry through free educational materials and a national recitation competition. Since its inception in 2005, over four million students nationwide have participated.

The National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation provides free, standards-based curriculum materials, including a teacher’s guide, an online anthology, posters, and video and audio resources. These are available at PoetryOutLoud.org.

“We’re excited to see the continued success of our students and alumni through this program,” said Rebecca Burns, performing arts teacher. “The connection between past and current participants, like Laura and Regan returning as judges, shows how this program fosters a lifelong appreciation for poetry among our performing arts students.” Visit PoetryOutLoud.org to learn more.