Nine high school students from across the country will compete in the Poetry Out Loud National Finals on Sunday, June 5. The competition, which is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation, and state arts agencies, encourages students from Grades 9-12 to study poetry through recitation — by performing it. After several state and regional competitions earlier this year, the winner of the virtual final will take home not just the title of "National Champion," but a $20,000 prize.
New York Champion Pamela White is among this year's finalists. White is wrapping up her junior year at Bethlehem High School in Delmar, where she has been participating in Poetry Out Loud competitions ever since her ninth grade English teacher introduced her to it as an assignment.
White spoke with WAMC's Jesse King about the pieces she studied for the competition, and what she's learned from the program. The Poetry Out Loud National Finals will start Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on the National Endowment for the Arts website.