Kaitlyn Lubega is the 2025 New Mexico Poetry Out Loud Champion and will represent the state at the National Finals in Washington, DC. Courtesy/Photo by Cousineau Studios
NMA News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Poetry Out Loud champion, Kaitlyn Lubega, a 12th grader attending United World College (UWC-USA) in Montezuma, NM, is headed to the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, DC, May 5 – 7, 2025.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, this poetry recitation competition for high school students is a partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation, and New Mexico Arts, designed to improve public speaking skills, build confidence, and teach about literary history and contemporary life. Nine high school students from schools throughout New Mexico participated in the Poetry Out Loud state finals, which took place at the Lensic Performing Arts Center Sunday, March 16.
Lubega, who was the state champion in 2024, is excited to return to the nationals again this year.
“I am incredibly blessed and fortunate to have the opportunity to represent the state once again at the National Finals. This year, I return with an even more profound connection to poetry and the beautiful state of New Mexico,” Lubega said. “With a second chance to push myself further in the competition, I am eager to showcase my refined performances, apply the insights I have gained, and let my love for spoken word move audiences on an even larger stage.”
Lubega will receive $200, and UWC-USA will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry materials. As the first runner-up, Nakia Thomas, a 12th grader at Carlsbad High School, will receive $100, with $200 for her school.
All 55 state and jurisdictional champions, including Lubega, will compete in the national semifinals on Tuesday, May 6, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, with the top nine students advancing to the finals on Wednesday, May 7, from 7-9:15 p.m. ET. Both days are free and open to the public and will be available through a one-time-only webcast at arts.gov.
In total, $50,000 in awards and school/organization stipends, including a $20,000 cash award for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion, will be presented at the National Finals. The Poetry Foundation provides and administers all aspects of the monetary prizes awarded and travel arrangements to the Poetry Out Loud National Finals.
Poetry Out Loud was started by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation in 2005. Participating students memorize and recite poems they select from an anthology of more than 1,200 classic and contemporary poems. More than 4.4 million students and 81,000 teachers from 20,000 schools and organizations across the nation have participated since its start. For more information visit PoetryOutLoud.org.
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.