Sierra Academy Students Launch "Poetry Out Louder" to Preserve Diverse Voices in Poetry Competition

Sierra Academy of Expeditionary Learning (SAEL) responded to national upheaval in arts funding and poetry education by launching "Poetry Out Louder!"—an alternative poetry competition that preserves opportunities for students to engage with contemporary and diverse poetic voices.

The initiative came after the national Poetry Out Loud competition reduced its anthology from 1,600 poems to just 400, restricting recitations to works published before 1935 and in the public domain.

The National Changes

The dramatic reduction coincided with broader shifts in arts funding. In May 2025, President Trump proposed eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and canceled hundreds of arts grants nationwide. That summer, the Poetry Foundation announced it would no longer manage poem permissions for Poetry Out Loud beginning with the 2025-2026 school year—ending students' access to copyrighted contemporary works.

Without the Poetry Foundation's rights management, the NEA's reduced anthology now consists entirely of public domain works, aligned with the federal government's "America250" initiative celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary.

SAEL's Educational Response

English teachers Marika Beck and Scott Young made the decision to opt out of the official competition as a school, concerned about erasing the diverse voices and contemporary perspectives that define modern literature. However, they remained supportive of individual students who chose to participate independently.

"We all know who was published before 1935," Beck said, noting the change erased contemporary and marginalized voices. "There are no living authors. There's nothing dissenting or provocative, just old-fashioned rhyme."

Beck pointed out specific erasures: while some Langston Hughes poems remained, more evocative pieces like "I, Too, Am America" were removed. The approved list includes only eight Black poets out of hundreds. U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo was also excluded.

Rather than abandon the educational value of poetry memorization and performance, Beck organized a local "Poetry Out Louder" competition. Ten SAEL students selected and presented poems of their own choosing, including works by Pablo Neruda, Mary Oliver, and Ada Limón.

Student Perspectives

SAEL junior Lola Ramos selected "A Carmen" by Ecuadorian poet Dolores Veintimilla after encountering her work at a museum. "I'm half-Ecuadorian," Ramos explained. "She spoke on behalf of indigenous people even though she was not indigenous, and her whole social class basically exiled her. I wanted to do that as a tribute because I do speak Spanish and because I feel more authentic as a person and a poet in Spanish."

For Dino Parks, a state championship finalist last year, the restrictions represent a loss of educational opportunity. Parks emphasized the importance of diverse voices, particularly in Nevada County's predominantly white community.

"The main way people are ignorant is by unknowing," Parks said. "Being able to see and read and hear perspectives and voices from people who are affected by living in a place like this is so important. If you're stuck in the same culture your whole life, you're not going to learn and you're not going to evolve."

Nevada County Poet Laureate Emeritus Kirsten Casey, who judged both competitions, described this year's official selection as "stripped down" and noted it "limited their ability to find something that they really connected to."

Community Support

Local sponsors—including YubaNet and art supply store Wonder Docent—provided prizes exceeding the $200 value offered at state-level competitions. SAEL's requirement that all students in grades 10-12 memorize and recite poetry continues to help even reluctant speakers develop their voices.

Poetry Out Louder finalists were: first place, Kai Gill; second place, Felix Canter; third place, Zoe Skoog. Other finalists included Julianne Marsh, Lola Ramos, Jonah Mitchell, Felix Canter, Zoe Skoog, Delia George, Izzy Wells, and Amara Berry.

Looking Forward

Nevada County Arts Council Executive Director Eliza Tudor said student reciters from both the official Poetry Out Loud competition and Poetry Out Louder will be featured at the Sierra Poetry Festival on April 18, 2026.

Beck has purchased the domain name for "Poetry Out Louder" in case the national anthology doesn't expand its scope. She and SAEL value their partnership with the Nevada County Arts Council and hope the national program will return to a more inclusive approach.

The Poetry Foundation has since worked to offset arts cuts, joining six other philanthropic organizations to create a $50 million Literary Arts Fund in October 2025.