The Elk County Council on the Arts announces the winners of this region’s Poetry Out Loud competition. The student winners are Rowena Pruett from Ridgway Area High School, with Antonio Brouse from Saint Marys Area High School as the runner-up.

Poetry Out Loud—presented in partnership with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Poetry Foundation—lifts poetry off the page, creating community and connection. Through this program, high school students across the country participate in a dynamic poetry recitation competition that is designed to improve their public speaking skills, help build confidence, and teach them about literary history and contemporary life. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.4 million students across the country have participated in Poetry Out Loud. On Thursday, January 30, 2025, more than 6 high school students participated in the Poetry Out Loud competition at the PA Wilds Media Lab in Kane, PA.

 During the competition, students recited works selected from an anthology of more than 1,200 poems. Judges evaluated student performances on criteria including voice and articulation, evidence of understanding, and accuracy. The National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation have created free, standards-based curriculum materials to support Poetry Out Loud including a teacher’s guide, lesson plans, an online anthology, and video and audio on the art of recitation. These resources are available for free at PoetryOutLoud.org.

Rowena Pruett will advance to the Pennsyvania State Poetry Out Loud competition on March 3, 2025 in Harrisburg. The state champion will advance to the national finals this spring in Washington, DC where $50,000 in awards and school/organizational stipends will be distributed. The representing school or organization of the state champion will receive $500 for the purchase of poetry materials and the first runner-up will receive $100, with $200 for their school or organization. The Poetry Foundation provides and administers all aspects of the monetary prizes awarded and travel arrangements for the Poetry Out Loud National Finals.

To learn more about this region’s Poetry Out Loud competition, contact the Elk County Council on the Arts or visit PoetryOutLoud.org.