Bethany Student Wins 2026 Poetry Out Loud State Competition at UCO
March 5, 2026
Sarah Wheatley, an 11th-grade student from Bethany, Oklahoma, won the 2026 Poetry Out Loud Oklahoma State Champion title. Oklahoma A+ Schools Institute (OKA+) at the University of Central Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Arts Council hosted the state finals for the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest, March 4.
The poetry recitation competition for high school students is a partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation, designed to improve public speaking skills, build confidence and teach about literary history and contemporary life. This year, 25 high school students from Oklahoma participated in the Poetry Out Loud state finals.
“OKA+ Schools is honored to continue to oversee the Oklahoma Poetry Out Loud Competition and witness the talent of students from across the state,” said Sandy Kent, executive director of Oklahoma A+ Schools Institute at UCO.
“This competition is a great way for students to spark learning and creativity while showcasing their confidence in presenting the spoken word.”
Wheatley received a $200 award, and Bethany High School received a $500 stipend to purchase poetry materials. Wheatley will advance to the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, D.C., this May.
As the first runner-up, Collin Walters, a high school student from Broken Arrow High, received $100, with $200 for their school.
Guest judges presided over the competition and evaluated student performances on criteria including physical presence, voice and articulation, accuracy and evidence of understanding.
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.
All 55 state and jurisdictional champions will compete in the national semifinals from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. ET, Tuesday, April 28, with the top nine students advancing to the finals from 7-9:15 p.m. ET, Wednesday, April 29. Both days are free and open to the public and will be available through a one-time-only webcast at arts.gov.
Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools nationwide. Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure. Beginning at the classroom level, winners advance to a schoolwide competition, then to the state competition and ultimately to the national finals. Since the program started in 2005, more than 4.4 million students and 81,000 teachers from 20,000 schools nationwide have participated in Poetry Out Loud.
For more information, contact Kent at 405-974-3779, skent@uco.edu or visit www.poetryoutloud.org.
For more information on Oklahoma A+ Schools Institute at UCO, visit www.okaplus.org.
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Cutline: Sarah Wheatley, an 11th-grade student from Bethany, Oklahoma, won the 2026 Poetry Out Loud Oklahoma State Champion title. Oklahoma A+ Schools Institute (OKA+) at the University of Central Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Arts Council hosted the state finals for the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest, March 4. Pictured, left to right, Amber Sharples, executive director of the Oklahoma Arts Council, Wheatley and Sandra Kent, OKA+ executive director.
