Congratulations to Esme Ammons from B. Reed Henderson High School, the winner of the 2025 Poetry Out Loud Regional Competition!
PAEP would also like to recognize Meghan Crisafulli, Esme’s teacher, for her invaluable support throughout the competition. A big congratulations to Thomas Saul from The Haverford School, who was the first runner-up. Thank you to Thomas’s teacher, Taylor Smith-Kan, for her guidance.
PAEP is grateful to all the students who participated in this year’s competition, representing high schools from across southeastern Pennsylvania. Their recitations were exceptional, and PAEP is incredibly proud of their hard work.
Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program designed to inspire high school students to explore poetry through dynamic recitation. Offering free educational materials, the program helps students build public speaking skills, gain confidence, and deepen their understanding of poetry’s historical and contemporary significance.
PAEP also extends a special thank you to the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the panel of judges, and the teachers, families, and friends who supported these students throughout the event.
Poetry Out Loud is a collaboration between the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation, and state and jurisdictional arts agencies. The Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership produces the Regional Southeastern Pennsylvania Poetry Out Loud competition on behalf of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.