On Jan. 14, 2026, students performed poetry in the library for staff and families. Poetry Out Loud has been an annual West High tradition since 2005. Students participating in this competition memorize two poems to perform in front of a crowd. Strong performances at the school level could qualify performers for the state competition, where top finalists advance to the national stage in Washington, D.C. 

English teacher Andria Benmuvhar has played an integral role in West’s Poetry Out Loud program, helping students prepare during Academic Lab and after school. Similar to Poetry Out Loud, Benmuvhar assigns AP Literature and Composition and English 1 students to memorize and perform one piece of poetry in front of the class.

Junior Maarja Lember is one of these students. In preparation for the competition, Lember followed a structured practice routine. She began by carefully reading through each poem to understand its meaning before memorizing the lines. Once sections were memorized, Lember recited her poems outloud.

“First, I found a poem that spoke to me, then I started reading [it] and understanding [it]. To understand [the poem], it’s easier to memorize it, so then after that you can know what you’re talking about, and the feeling will come from within,” said Lember.

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Speaking with passion, senior Cailtlyn Dunn recites “The Blessed Hope,” by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper. Placing second in the competition, Dunn has been a part of the Poetry Out Loud event since her sophomore year. “When I practice, I really try to get exaggerated movement, because I tend to die down during the actual performance. I think that's kind of fun — acting almost when you're talking,” Dunn said.

This year’s competition was held at a time of transition for Poetry Out Loud at the national level. In preparation for the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States, program organizers announced plans to revise the poetry selections available on the Poetry Out Loud website to better reflect American poetry. Teachers and coordinators were informed that the site would be updated with new poems.

However, around the same time, Poetry Out Loud separated from the Poetry Foundation, which had previously helped manage the program’s content. Because Poetry Out Loud is performance-based, organizers must have the rights for students secured to perform poems publicly. Following the split, several poems were removed from the site, leaving many works in the public domain.

As a result, much of the newer poetry was temporarily lost, making the website more difficult to navigate and limiting students’ choices. While organizers have begun restoring some of the removed content after receiving complaints, educators have been impacted by the shift in accessibility of the program. 

“There’s nothing wrong with older poetry,” Benmuvhar said. “[However,] part of Poetry Out Loud is making poetry accessible [for these kids]. When poems are removed from students [from these recent times], it can be harder for them to connect.”

The loss of contemporary voices also reduced the perspectives represented. Despite these challenges, Poetry Out Loud continues to provide students with an opportunity for confidence and to engage deeply with literature.

For many participants, the experience goes beyond competition. Poetry Out Loud allows students to step out of their comfort zones and discover their own voices through poetry. 

“When you find a poet [who] has similar thoughts [to] you, it validates your perspective and allows you to show your interpretation through their words.  It builds self-confidence and perseverance as it is difficult to speak in front of your peers, let alone act and share your perspective through your performance,” art teacher Kristi Ponder stated.