Oregon School for the Deaf student to compete in 2026 Poetry Out Loud National Semifinals
Kelsey Merison
SALEM, ORE. (KTVZ) — Emma Keen, an 11th-grade student at the Oregon School for the Deaf in Salem, will compete in the 2026 Poetry Out Loud National Semifinals in Washington, D.C., on April 28th. Keen will represent Oregon as one of the state champions vying for a spot in the national finals and a $20,000 grand prize.
The competition is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with state arts agencies. Designed to improve public speaking skills and teach literary history, this year’s event coincides with the 250th anniversary of the United States. Participating students will recite poems from an anthology that celebrates historic American voices.
Keen is scheduled to participate in the third semifinal session at 2:00 p.m. PST (5:00 p.m. ET) on Tuesday, April 28th. This session includes champions from 19 jurisdictions, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Minnessota, and Washington. Keen is the 2026 Oregon champion and is one of more than 130,000 students to compete in the program nationwide this year.
2026 Oregon Poetry Out Loud competitors (Emma Keen is third from the right, dressed in all black)
The national semifinals consist of three separate sessions. A total of nine students will advance to the national finals. To qualify for the finals, students must place in the top three of their respective semifinal sessions. Judges will evaluate each recitation based on physical presence, articulation, interpretation, and accuracy.
National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Mary Anne Carter highlighted the educational impact of the competition. “Poetry Out Loud helps students discover the power of language while building confidence, communication skills, and a deeper connection to literature,” Carter said. “We are thrilled to welcome our champions to Washington, DC, during America’s 250th birthday. In reciting works that helped shape our nation’s history, they are honoring the past while developing the skills to shape the future.”
A total of $50,000 in cash prizes and school stipends will be awarded during the competition. The national champion receives a $20,000 grand prize. The second and third place finalists will be awarded $10,000 and $5,000, respectively. These monetary prizes are administered by Mid Atlantic Arts.
All competition sessions are free and open to the public at the George Washington University Lisner Auditorium. The organizers will provide American Sign Language interpretation and closed captioning in English and Spanish for both the semifinals and finals. Those unable to attend in person can view the events through a one-time-only webcast at arts.gov.
The 2026 Poetry Out Loud National Champion will be announced at the conclusion of the finals on the evening of April 29th. Full results and a list of all participating champions are available at PoetryOutLoud.org.