Presented by Maine Arts Commission, The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, Poetry Out Loud encourages the nation’s youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance. The Maine Poetry Out Loud Competition finals were broadcast live on MPBN TV March 23, 2012 from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine.

Poetry Out Loud began in Maine in December with approximately 8,000 students competing at 44 schools across the state. Winners were then selected from each school to compete at two regional finals where five students from each region were selected to appear in the state final.