Cobb County student named 2024 Poetry Out Loud state champion | Times Georgian

The state champion will go on to represent Georgia at the national finals, which will be held April 30-May 2, in Washington, D.C. Following a series of regional competitions with a virtual option included, 14 students reached the state finals, where they competed at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta on March 8. Among the diverse panel of judges were college and university professors, comedy writers and producers, poets and theater company educators, along with Georgia Poet Laureate Chelsea Rathburn.

“Poetry Out Loud inspires Georgia’s high school students to learn about contemporary poetry and build critical skills like public speaking and memorization that are essential for every industry and career. The program encourages students to broaden their perspectives and step out of their comfort zone, building self-confidence and nurturing curiosity,” said Tina Lilly, Executive Director of Georgia Council for the Arts. “We thank the Alliance Theatre for their leadership and applaud our new regional partners in Albany and Savannah as we enjoy increasing interest from both students and educators in this growing program.”

Poetry Out Loud is a national program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation, which encourages high school students to learn about poetry through memorization and recitation of the written word. In partnership with GCA, the Alliance Theatre administers the Georgia program, which served 37 schools and community organizations in 2023-2024 and…