Name: YOLO Arts Poetry Out Loud Competition
Start: 2026-01-31T15:00:00-08:00
Location: YoloArts

Yolo County Students Invited to Participate in 2025 Poetry Out Loud Competition
Yolo County, CA — Beats Lyrics Leaders and YoloArts are proud to announce the 2025 Yolo County Poetry Out Loud competition, offering students a unique opportunity to engage with literature, strengthen public speaking skills, and build confidence. This national program, supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, fosters the art of poetry recitation while empowering students to connect deeply with the written word.
Event Details
The competition will take place Janurary 31st, 2025, from 3:00 to 4:00 PM at the YoloArts Barn Gallery. Students from across Yolo County are invited to memorize and perform poems from the official Poetry Out Loud anthology and compete for cash prizes:
1st Place: $200
2nd Place: $100
3rd Place: $50
Why Participate?
Workshops and Conferences
To help students prepare, Beats Lyrics Leaders and YoloArts will host a series of free workshops:
Online Workshops:
January 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th, 6:30-7:30 PM
Join via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88220979713?pwd=tJVQUgnFVWsIWBoxdtDLqTsHNaviyw.1#success

In-Person Dress Rehearsal at the Yolo Barn Gallery :
Jan 30th 5:00-6:00 pm
Performance and event YoloArts Barn Gallery.
Competition
Date: January 31, 2026
Time: 3:00-5:00 pm
Location: YoloArts Barn Gallery

SIGN UP HERE
How to Register
Students can sign up for the competition or the free workshops by visiting the Beats Lyrics Leaders website or contacting [email protected].
Participation in Poetry Out Loud is a rewarding experience that promotes educational growth and offers students a platform to shine. For more information, or if your school would like to get involved, please reach out to J. Ross Parrelli BLL or YoloArts.
Let’s celebrate the creative talent of Yolo County’s students and bring the power of poetry to life!
About Beats Lyrics Leaders
Beats Lyrics Leaders is dedicated to empowering youth through creative expression, leadership development, and community engagement. We collaborate with schools and organizations to provide enriching programs that inspire students to find their voice.
About YoloArts
YoloArts supports and advocates for the arts in Yolo County through programs that integrate the arts into everyday life, ensuring art's accessibility to the entire community.
Public Speaking: Students can practice public speaking in a fun, creative environment, boosting their confidence in presenting ideas clearly.
Creative Expression: Poetry offers students the chance to explore language, culture, and personal meaning, enhancing literary analysis and creativity.
Academic Skills: Through engagement with great poets, students expand vocabulary, comprehension, and performance abilities.
Teacher Involvement
Teachers are encouraged to support their students by:
Helping them choose poems from the official Poetry Out Loud anthology (available at www.poetryoutloud.org).
Providing classroom time for students to practice their recitations.
Referring students to free workshops, either in person or online, to prepare for the competition.