Dallastown Students To Compete In POETRY OUT LOUD Recitation Competition

Dallastown Area High School will host its annual Poetry Out Loud recitation competition on December 10, 2025, as part of the national program that encourages students to engage with poetry through performance. This year’s contest, themed in recognition of America’s 250th anniversary, highlights poems celebrating the nation’s diverse history and culture. The school champion will advance to the regional competition in Gettysburg in January 2026.

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages students to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation, helping participants build public speaking skills, self-confidence, and an appreciation for literature. At Dallastown, students will bring a wide range of classic and contemporary works to life through expressive performance, combining literacy, analysis, and emotional interpretation.

“This competition gives our students a chance to engage with canonical poetry in a deeply personal way,” said event coordinator Bethany Yuninger, adding that it helps “develop empathy, literary understanding, and confidence in public speaking.” Contestants who place first, second, and third will receive certificates and Barnes & Noble gift cards courtesy of the Dallastown Performing Arts Club. The school champion will advance to the regional competition in Gettysburg in January, with winners progressing to the state finals in Harrisburg in March and the national finals in Washington, D.C., April 28–29, 2026, where more than $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be distributed.

English teachers at Dallastown have incorporated the competition into classroom instruction, encouraging students to explore poetry through recitation and performance units in literature and public speaking. Audience members at the December 10 event will also have the chance to appreciate the power of spoken poetry as it was originally intended—through expressive and skillful live delivery.

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