Poetry Out Loud seeks to foster the next generation of literary readers by inviting the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word and theater into high school classrooms. Through the program, students can master public speaking skills, increase reading comprehension scores, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage. In six years, Poetry Out Loud has inspired thousands of high school students to discover and develop deep, personal relationships with great classic and contemporary poetry.
The N.C. Arts Council, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation and the Greensboro Public Library, invites N.C. students to participate in the program to gain a deeper appreciation of great poetry through memorization and recitation.
The program starts in the classroom, broadens to the state level and culminates at the national finals in Washington, D.C.