Redmond High School student among finalists for 2026 Poetry Out Loud state championships
Campbell Porter
SALEM, Ore. — High school students from across the state will gather in Salem this weekend for the 2026 Poetry Out Loud Oregon State Championships. The event is scheduled for Saturday, March 7, at the Historic Grand Theatre from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Hosted by the Oregon Arts Commission, the competition features 11 finalists in a display of memorization, performance and literary interpretation. The participants represent high schools from Portland, Beaverton, Lake Oswego, Salem, Redmond and Medford.
Ariana Morris, a junior at Redmond High School, is among the finalists competing this year. This marks the third year Morris has participated in the state championships. She is one of several students representing schools outside the immediate Salem area.
Finalists from the Portland area include Alida Shi Lyons from Cleveland High School, Bena Rodecap from Grant High School and Samantha Faulkner from Trinity Academy. Gabriel Hall and Josiah Gaither, both students at St. Stephen’s Academy in Beaverton, also advanced to the state round.
The competition also features Drishti Singh and Rain Obiesie from Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego. Emma Keen will represent the Oregon School for the Deaf in Salem, while Kaydence Pope and Molly Wheeler will represent South Medford High School in Medford.
The competition will take place at the Historic Grand Theatre, located at 187 High St. NE in Salem. The event is scheduled to run for 3 hours.
The 2026 state champion will be announced at the conclusion of the event on Saturday afternoon.