On April 28 and 29, fifty-three high school students, who are finalists in this year’s Poetry Out Loud recitation contest, will gather in Washington, D.C. to compete in the final rounds. The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation have partnered, in the competition’s sixth year, to give $50,000 in awards and school stipends to the winner and his/her school. The fifty-three finalists will compete in the semifinals all day on April 28 at the historic Lincoln Theatre in NW Washington, D.C. On the following day, nine remaining finalists will meet again at the Lincoln Theatre at night to determine the winner.

“Through Poetry Out Loud, we’ve heard many stories from students who talk about falling in love with poetry… for life,” said NEA Chairman, Rocco Landesman.

The event will be hosted by actress Kerry Washington, who is a member of the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities. Guest Judges for the finals will include, Valerie Martinez, Thomas Sayers Ellis, Brian Turner, Amber Tamblyn, and others.

“To memorize a great poem is to make a friend of it for life,” said Poetry Foundation President, John Barr. “From the stage, the participants… recite their poems with a joy all their own. We… listen and are moved.”