Isabel Teran, who placed first in the Poetry Out Loud State Finals, will compete in the POL National Finals in Washington, DC on May 1st and 2nd! A junior at Sahuarita High School, Isabel wowed the judges at the State Finals competition with recitations of "Envy" by Mary Lamb, "Ars Poetica" by José Olivarez, and "Flowers" by Cynthia Zarin. When not reciting poetry, Isabel pursues her passion for the arts through drawing, writing, acting, and film.

The National Semi-Finals competition will be held on May 1, 2024, from 5-8 pm ET/2-5 pm AZ time, and will be live streamed. You can watch it and support Isabel here: https://www.arts.gov/initiatives/poetry-out-loud

If Isabel advances from the semi-finals round, she will also compete in the National Finals on May 2! That event will be held from 7 pm-9:15 pm ET/4 pm-6:15 pm AZ time, and will also be live streamed at the following link: https://www.arts.gov/initiatives/poetry-out-loud

Poetry Out Loud is a national poetry recitation competition for high school students that begins in the classroom and culminates in the National Finals in Washington, DC. Drawing upon elements of spoken word, theater, and slam poetry, Poetry Out Loud cultivates an appreciation of poetry that goes beyond the page. You can learn more about the program here.