NMA News:
SANTA FE — New Mexico Arts announces the state finals for the 21st anniversary of Poetry Out Loud.
At 1 p.m., Sunday, March 8, 11 high school students from across New Mexico will participate in the Poetry Out Loud® state finals. Held for the first time ever in Albuquerque at the Albuquerque Journal Theater in the National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 4th St SW, Albuquerque, NM. The event is free and open to all ages to watch the performances.
The following high school students will be representing their school at the Poetry Out Loud New Mexico Final:
- Vinny Valenzuela – Cottonwood Classical Preparatory, Albuquerque
- Hadas Frish – La Cueva High School, Albuquerque
- Aspen Keith – New Mexico Youth Arts Ambassadors, Albuquerque
- Brendon Moore – Volcano Vista High School, Albuquerque
- Roma Subedi – Arrowhead Park Early College High School, Las Cruces
- Evaleen Vasquez – Organ Mountain High School, Las Cruces
- Ameena Ankliss – United World College-USA, Montezuma
- Sam Roberts – Portales High School, Portales
- Kokomi Williams – V. Sue Cleveland High School, Rio Rancho
- Elizabeth Nickell – New Mexico School for the Arts, Santa Fe
- Carolina Moncrief Rivera-Torres – CMEC Homeschool Santa Fe, Tesuque
The winner of the Poetry Out Loud New Mexico finals will receive $200, and the winner’s representing school or organization will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry materials.
In addition to the cash prize, the New Mexico champion will receive an expense-paid trip to represent New Mexico at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, DC, April 27-29, 2026. In total, $50,000 in awards and school/organization stipends, including a $20,000 award for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion, will be presented.
The 2026 State Finals event will include New Mexico Poet Laureate Manuel González, New Mexico Poetry Ourselves award winners, and the 2026 Phyllis Kennedy Teacher’s Award. Atrisco Heritage Academy’s Mariachi Herencia Varsity will also perform at the State Finals event.
Presented in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, Poetry Out Loud® is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country.
About New Mexico Arts
New Mexico Arts is the state arts agency and a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs. New Mexico Poetry Out Loud is made possible by New Mexico Arts through support from the National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation. For more information about New Mexico Arts visit nmarts.org.