Free public event returns February 19 to the Smyrna Opera House
Statewide, Del. (February 9, 2026) – Delaware’s Poetry Out Loud State Finals returns to the Smyrna Opera House on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 6:00pm. Ten student finalists will compete for the opportunity to be named state champion and advance to the National Finals in Washington, DC from April 27-29, 2026 to represent Delaware, where $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be distributed. The event is FREE to the public and seating is limited. There will be a livestream hosted on the Division’s YouTube and Facebook account.
Poetry Out Loud® 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. As the nation prepares to commemorate its 250th anniversary, the federal government is emphasizing programming in 2026 that honors American history and culture. Accordingly, the poems selected for the 2025-2026 Poetry Out Loud competition highlight American poets as well as poems that embody the nation’s indomitable spirit, creativity, innovation and the nation’s rich cultural and historical heritage.
At their school, students selected and recited works from a curated anthology of approximately 300 poems. Their teachers or facilitators ran their school’s local Poetry Out Loud competition that then selected a winner to be moved on to the state finals.
This year’s competition marked a period of transition for the program. After more than a decade as an operating partner, the Poetry Foundation moved into a funding partner role for Poetry Out Loud, and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) undertook the task of renewing poem rights for the anthology. As a result, the collection was temporarily reduced to approximately 300 public domain works – requiring some students to reselect poems, sometimes more than once, as the competition progressed. The Division extends its sincere thanks to the students, teachers, and families who demonstrated remarkable flexibility and commitment during this transition. Their perseverance embodies the spirit of resilience that poetry itself so often celebrates. Looking ahead, the NEA has confirmed that the anthology will be expanded for the 2027 competition season.
“Poetry Out Loud helps students find their voice—and use it with clarity and confidence. When a young person steps up to recite a poem, they’re building communication skills, deepening literacy, and learning how to connect with an audience,” said Division of the Arts Director Jessica Ball. “We invite Delawareans to join us at the Smyrna Opera House to celebrate these remarkable finalists.”
The ten finalists are:
Aaliyah Watson, Paul M. Hodgson Vo-Tech High School
Ana Julia Glanden, Sanford School
Brooke Kennedy, Saint Mark’s High School
Grace (Phy) Sullivan, MOT High School
Henrik Maansson, Wilmington Friends School
Natalia Gatti, Sussex Academy of Arts and Sciences
Olivia Stevens, Mount Sophia Academy
Saad Alzabidi, Delcastle Technical High School
Samuel Yarbrough, Smyrna High School
Vittoria Hopper, Sussex Central High School
Delaware State Finals
The 2026 Delaware State Finals will occur:
Date: February 19, 2026
Location: Smyrna Opera House, 7 W South St, Smyrna, DE 19977
Time: 6:00pm-9:30pm
Livestream link can be found here.
Press seats, photos, and interviews are available upon request to Andrew.Truscott@delaware.gov.
About Poetry Out Loud
The 2025-2026 school year marks the 21st anniversary of Poetry Out Loud®, an arts education program and dynamic poetry recitation competition for high school students that lifts poetry off the page, creating community and connection. A partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and state and jurisdictional arts agencies, Poetry Out Loud takes place in 49 states, American Samoa, District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In addition to $50,000 in prizes and stipends awarded annually to competitors and their home communities – including a $20,000 prize for the National Champion—Poetry Out Loud provides free poetry education resources nationally, including lesson plans and other educational materials for teachers and organizers, tips on reciting, and an online anthology of approximately 300 poems.
21 Years of Impact
In 2004, the Poetry Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts began developing and piloting a first-of-its-kind national poetry recitation program for high school students; Poetry Out Loud launched at the start of the following school year in 2005. Since then, the program has reached more than 4.4 million students and 81,000 teachers from 20,000 schools across the nation.
A study completed in 2020 found that participation in Poetry Out Loud can help schools become more vibrant learning spaces and support students in their academic, literary, and social-emotional development.
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Contact: Andrew Truscott, Program Officer, Marketing and Communications
302-577-8280, andrew.truscott@delaware.gov
About the Delaware Division of the Arts
The Delaware Division of the Arts is an agency of the State of Delaware. Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts Council, the Division administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. Funding for Division programs is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. Visit Arts.gov to learn more.
About the Mid Atlantic Arts
Mid Atlantic Arts supports artists, presenters, and organizations through unique programming, grant support, partnerships, and information sharing. Created in 1979, Mid Atlantic Arts is aligned with the region’s state arts councils and the National Endowment for the Arts. We combine state and federal funding with private support from corporations, foundations, and individuals to nurture diverse artistic expression while connecting people to meaningful arts experiences within our region and beyond. To learn more about Mid Atlantic Arts visit https://www.midatlanticarts.org/.