Last year, being the first year I participated in POL was one of the best experiences I’ve had in high school so far. My name is Delia, I am now in 10th grade, and last year I went to the regional competition for Poetry Out Loud. I remember when I first got the e-mail saying that I had won our school competition, I ran around my house to find my parents and tell them the news. I was so excited about the competition; performing had always been something I enjoyed. Picking the poems was the best part; although the choice seemed limited at first, the site had so many amazing poems to choose from, and it turned out being so easy to find a poem that I really enjoyed and connected with. I would practice any way that I could, either in the car with my family, or even with my English teacher. The regional competition was so much more exciting than the school competition. All the other students there were so friendly but seemed just as nervous, which in some way was able to calm my nerves. My family, some of my friends, and even a few teachers came to the university to watch me perform my poems. Although when the results came back, I was sadly placed third and was not able to go to the state competition. However, my love for performing poetry did not stop there. This year, I am more excited than ever to be part of POL again, and hopefully make it to states!
by Delia Tager
Click here to learn more about POL and get your school registered for this year’s competition!
Teachers & Writers Magazine is published by Teachers & Writers Collaborative as a resource for teaching the art of writing to people of all ages. The online magazine presents a wide range of ideas and approaches, as well as lively explorations of T&W’s mission to celebrate the imagination and create greater equity in and through the literary arts.
