Since February, over 365,000 high school students have competed in Poetry Out Loud, an annual national recitation contest created and funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, now in its tenth year. At the national semifinals this month, just fifty-three champions will gather at George Washington University for the opportunity to advance to the national finals, where the top nine finalists and their schools will receive $50,000 in awards, including $20,000 for the national champion.

Poetry Out Loud encourages the study of poetry in high schools by offering educational materials and recitation practice. The program also allows the NEA and the Poetry Foundation to instill in schools and the general public the importance of arts education. “For a decade, Poetry Out Loud has proven to be transformative for nearly three million high school students, and tens of thousands of teachers in high schools across the nation,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu in a statement. “Programs like this are so important, and not just because it introduces the beauty of poetry to young people. NEA research shows that arts education is linked to many positive, long-term academic benefits, social benefits, and workforce benefits. Programs like Poetry Out Loud give our nation’s youth access to arts education opportunities that will help them learn and succeed in life.”

The Poetry Out Loud semifinals will happen on Tuesday, April 28, from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm at Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University, 730 21^st Street NW, Washington, DC, and the national finals, also held in the Lisner Auditorium, will occur on April 29, from 7:00 am to 9:15 pm. Both events are free and open to the public.

Watch videos of last year’s national finalists, or learn more about the program by visiting the Poetry Out Loud website.