April 17, 2026:
Damien Deen, a senior at Washington High School in Sioux Falls, will take the big stage at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals, April 28-29, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
Deen won first place at South Dakota’s Poetry Out Loud (POL) state contest on March 9, which earned him a $200 cash prize, $500 for his school to purchase poetry education material, and the opportunity to compete among 55 state/jurisdictional champions from across the nation for a top prize of $20,000.
“What I’m most excited for POL nationals is getting to see different students from distinct backgrounds who share the same interest as I do in poetry and literature,” Deen said. “I think poetry is a very important element in the foundation of American history, and it’s very important for us to keep poetic recitation alive.”
Poetry Out Loud (POL) is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and state arts agencies like the South Dakota Arts Council, which sponsors and coordinates the program in South Dakota. POL encourages the study of great poetry by offering educational material and a dynamic recitation competition to students, giving them an opportunity to master public speaking skills, build self‐confidence, and learn about their literary heritage.
On April 28, the state champions will compete throughout the day in three semifinal rounds organized by region. Deen will compete in Semifinal 3 beginning at 5 p.m. EDT. Three competitors from each region will advance to the top nine, who will compete in the Poetry Out Loud National Finals April 29, beginning at 7 p.m. EDT, culminating in the crowning of a national champion.
These events are free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required. Both days of competition will also be available through a live, one-time-only webcast at Arts.gov/Poetry-Out-Loud. More information about the program is available at PoetryOutLoud.org.
Michelle McIntyre, Deen’s teacher and POL coach, said, “This is my third national POL qualifier, but the first two were online due to the Covid lockdowns and social distancing when school resumed. I have had one national champion and am so excited to continue our proud tradition of success at Poetry Out Loud. I hope for a great experience for Damien, and look forward to actually seeing it live in D.C.!”
South Dakota’s POL state runner-up is Edom Hiruy, a senior at Jefferson High School in Sioux Falls. She received a $100 cash prize and $200 for her school to purchase poetry education material. In the original-poetry portion of the state contest, Learys Mercado-Castello, a senior at Jefferson High School, earned both first and second place, winning $150 in cash prizes and $150 to purchase poetry material for her school.
An office of the South Dakota Department of Tourism, the South Dakota Arts Council’s mission is to provide grants and services to artists, arts organizations, and schools across the state, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the State of South Dakota. The South Dakota Department of Tourism is comprised of Travel South Dakota and the South Dakota Arts Council. The Department is led by Secretary James D. Hagen.
March 9, 2026:
South Dakota high school students will share their talents and the work of great poets while competing for the state title at the Poetry Out Loud recitation competition Monday (March 9, 2026) in Sioux Falls.
The event begins at 1 p.m. CDT at the Washington Pavilion.
Five students will compete for the title of state champion through the recitation program. Those students are:
- Damien Deen, Washington High School, Sioux Falls;
- Gabriel Gatilogo, St. Francis Indian School, St. Francis;
- Edom Hiruy, Jefferson High School, Sioux Falls;
- Mads McCullough, Brookings High School, Brookings;
- Nikolas Yellowboy, Little Wound High School, Kyle.
The student who places first at the state competition will represent South Dakota in Washington, D.C., and compete in the Poetry Out Loud National Finals, April 27-29, 2026.
Learys Mercado-Castello, Jefferson High School, Sioux Falls, has already won the original poetry competition, and will present their poems at the event.
The contest is free to attend, open to the public, and will be livestreamed online at https://www.youtube.com/@SouthDakotaArtsCouncil.
Poetry Out Loud, a national arts education program, starts in the classroom and encourages the study of poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country. South Dakota’s program is administered by the South Dakota Arts Council with help from Arts South Dakota and South Dakota Public Broadcasting.
Poetry Out Loud was created in partnership by the National Endowment for the Arts with the collaboration of state arts agencies. It is intended to foster the next generation of literary readers by building on the resurgence of poetry as an oral art form. Through Poetry Out Loud, students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage.
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