2022 Montana Poetry Out Loud Winners
RACHEL CAMPBELL
State Champion
Chrysalis School
ZOE BELINDA
Second Place
Red Lodge High School
ELLIS MASTEL
Third Place
Red Lodge High School
Now in its seventeenth year, the 2021-22 Montana Poetry Out Loud program welcomes the participation of high schools across our state! Created and supported by the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Poetry Foundation, Poetry Out Loud engages students in learning about poetry through the memorized recitations of works by recognized poets, both contemporary and from throughout history. Through their participation students gain public speaking skills while finding their own voice.
Beginning in individual classrooms, students have the opportunity to advance to schoolwide contests, regional competitions, the Montana State Finals and—for one Montana student—the National Poetry Out Loud Finals, held in Washington D.C. in late April. For students interested in competing whose schools are not participating, this year’s program will include an at-large district that will use a video submission process to advance individuals to a regional competition or a virtual regional as needed. To learn more about the program or to explore the online anthology, visit poetryoutloud.org.
To indicate your interest in participating in this year’s program, please provide your contact information here. A member of the Montana Arts Council staff will follow up with you.
For questions or to further discuss participation, please contact Monica Grable, Montana Poetry Out Loud Coordinator, at (406) 444-6522 or Monica.Grable@mt.gov.
Montana Poetry Out Loud Timeline 2021-22
December 1
Schools register for participation in a regional event.
(a commitment to hold a school event and send top finishers to a regional, not specific student names.)
December 15 through January 14
Classroom (or club) competitions held
January 17 – 28
Schoolwide competitions held, participants confirmed
January 31
Student registrations due by midnight, for participation in regional events
February 24
Regional events available for viewing on this site
March 11, 2022
Montana POL State Finals via YouTube Live
North West | North Central Regional
POL Northwest and Northcentral Belt/Flathead/Simms/Eureka
Top 6 finalists from the event:
Kenna Anderson | Flathead High School
Rachel Campbell | Chrysalis School
Nora Duncan | Chrysalis School
Brady Drummond | Belt High School
Gracie Thiel-Watson | Belt High School
Molly Tingey | Belt High School
Alternate: Anastasia Bouick | Simms High School
South West | South Central Regional
POL Southwest and Southcentral Missoula/Red Lodge/Hamilton/Powell County
Top 6 finalists from the event:
Zoe Belinda | Red Lodge High School
Jasmine Eggert | Sentinel High School
Adeline Glidewell | Valley Christian School
Lucy Johnstone | Hellgate High School
Ellis Mastel | Red Lodge High School
Echo McTague | Hellgate High School
Alternate: Eliana Foss | Hamilton High School
Congratulations to all competitors!
To view the 2021 Montana State Finals:
View Finals here. | View competition program here.
Here are the 2021 Montana Poetry Out Loud Winners!
State Champion: Brady Drummond
Second Place: Anna Christensen
Third Place: Molly Tingey
Fourth Place: Ellis Mastel
Fifth Place: Zoe Belinda
Here are the top five (plus an alternate) from each POL Regional event:
POL Northwest and Northcentral Belt/Flathead/Polson
North West | North Central Regional
- Molly Tingey
- Anna Christensen
- Brady Drummond
- Anabella Smith
- Charlotte Maher
*Alternate: Isabella Shinn
POL Southwest and Southcentral Hellgate/Red Lodge/Thompson FallsSouth West | South Central Regional
- Zoe Belinda
- Ellis Mastel
- JayJay Fields
- Jasmine Pearson
- Eden Maxwell
*Alternate: Shaylee Quenzer
Congratulations to all competitors!
