2017 Poetry Out Loud National Finals

April 24-26, 2017
Washington, DC

Photos by James Kegley

01-POL-2017-slides.jpg

At the 2017 Poetry Out Loud National Finals, 53 students from every state; Washington, DC; Puerto Rico; and the U.S. Virgin Islands competed for the title of National Champion.

02-POL-2017-slides.jpg

A group of seven students stands in a line smiling at the camera.

Poetry Out Loud State Champions meet each other at the welcome banquet.

03-POL-2017-slides.jpg

A woman sits behind a table holding out a book to a young woman standing on the other side.

Poet Naomi Shihab Nye signs copies of her book 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East for Poetry Out Loud State Champions. Nye was also this year’s Poetry Ourselves judge.

After the first regional semi-final, Poetry Out Loud State Champions from New York (Iree Mann), New Jersey (Amos Koffa), and Massachusetts (Rose-Darla Pascal) learn they will advance to the finals competition.

05-POL-2017-slides.jpg

Students in the third regional semi-final wait to hear who will advance to the national finals.

06-POL-2017-slides.jpg

A group of student stand together holding up a Poetry Out Loud poster.

Poetry Out Loud State Champions attend a Congressional breakfast at the Russell Senate Office Building.

07-POL-2017-slides.jpg

Nine students stand around a woman with short hair and a black blazer.

The nine Poetry Out Loud national finalists with NEA Chairman Jane Chu before the finals competition. Clockwise from top left: Amos Koffa (New Jersey), Nicholas Amador (Hawaii), Emily Bauer (Missouri), Samara Elán Huggins (Georgia), Mariah L. Brooks (Illinois), Jane Chu, Iree Mann (New York), Anna Kochevar (Minnesota), Rose-Darla Pascal (Massachusetts), and Madison Lukomski (South Dakota).

08-POL-2017-slides.jpg

A woman in a striped dress holds a microphone while a young woman stands speaking in front of another microphone.

National Finals host Elizabeth Acevedo interviews Minnesota State Champion Anna Kochevar.

09-POL-2017-slides.jpg

A young woman wearing a black shirt speaks into a microphone.

2017 Poetry Out Loud National Champion and Georgia State Champion Samara Elán Huggins.

10-POL-2017-slides.jpg

A young man wearing a blue sweater and gray blazer speaks into a microphone.

2017 Poetry Out Loud second-place winner and Hawaii State Champion Nicholas Amador.

11-POL-2017-slides.jpg

A young woman wearing a white cardigan and black skirt speaks into a microphone.

2017 Poetry Out Loud third-place winner and New York State Champion Iree Mann.

12-POL-2017-slides.jpg

A young woman stands holding a glass trophy in between a man and a woman. Confetti falls around them.

2017 Poetry Out Loud National Champion Samara Elán Huggins with Poetry Foundation President Henry Bienen and National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu.

13-POL-2017-slides.jpg

A young man in a red and white striped shirt holds a small glass trophy with students smiling and clapping around him.

Theo Cai, Texas State Champion, placed first in the written category of Poetry Ourselves.

14-POL-2017-slides.jpg

A young woman stands holding a small glass trophy next to a woman with short hair and a black blazer. In the background students stand clapping.

Shelby Newland, Indiana State Champion, placed first in the spoken category of Poetry Ourselves.

15-POL-2017-slides.jpg

A man sings while playing the cello with a Poetry Out Loud sign behind him.

Cellist, composer, and storyteller Ben Sollee performs at the National Finals.

16-POL-2017-slides.jpg

Two young women and a young man stand together on a stage holding glass trophies.

Third place-winner Iree Mann, National Champion Samara Elán Huggins, and second place-winner Nicholas Amador.

17-POL-2017-slides.jpg

A group of men and women stand in a line on stage with a Poetry Out Loud sign behind them.

Poetry Foundation President Henry Bienen; judges Philippa Hughes, founder of the Pink Line Project; Andrew White, playwright and former artistic director of Lookingglass Theatre Company; and Marilyn Chin, poet and teacher; Third place-winner Iree Mann; National Champion Samara Elán Huggins; second place-winner Nicholas Amador; Adrian Matejka , poet and teacher; Valerie Martínez, poet and collaborative artist; Elizabeth Acevedo, poet and host of Poetry Out Loud; and National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu.