BY ARCHANA HARIHARAN ’26
The audience hushed as the first student began their recitation, a stillness carrying as students readied themselves for the words to come. With each stanza spoken, emotions were expressed, characters were brought to life, and poetry echoed throughout the room. On December 19, Jericho High School’s annual Poetry Out Loud competition was more than just a competition; it was an ode to poets all over the world.
Poetry Out Loud is a time-honored tradition across the country in which students memorize and recite poems from an anthology chosen by the National Endowment for the Arts. Students are then judged based on their recitation, accuracy, and emotion.
In previous years, Jericho High School students would compete against other students at regional, states, and even national competitions. Jericho students have shone in Poetry Out Loud, with Alumna Christina X ’15 moving on to the state competition in 2014, when Jericho High School first held a Poetry Out Loud competition. This year, however, Jericho students will only compete within the school against their peers.
Poetry Out Loud is not about winning, though. As winner Joana C. ’26 reflected, the event is about finding meaning between the lines. Joana said, “Reciting poetry is like hunting for the deeper meaning. When you read it for the first time, you think of it literally; when you read it a few times over, you start to pick up on the ideas and emotions behind the poem, and you understand the actual message.”
Joana’s reflection on how Poetry Out Loud allows students the opportunity to search for the deeper meaning in a poem while also developing public speaking skills mirrors the critical thinking skills that Curriculum Associate for English Language Arts Dr. Salzman admires. Dr. Salzman said, “Anytime a public school can create an environment where students can focus on a skill that’s not usually celebrated, that’s a positive thing.”
Oftentimes, Poetry Out Loud provides a valuable opportunity for students to step out of their comfort zone and participate in a transformative manner, using poetry to express themselves, in a way that would have been otherwise challenging to do.
Poetry Out Loud is just as rewarding for the audience as it is for the performers. Audience members find inspiration in their peers’ transformation and accessibility in their classmates’ delivery of poetry through reawakened delivery.
Poetry Out Loud is not just a competition but an opportunity for students to tap into their emotions and their talents, which would otherwise go unnoticed.