East TN Student Elizabeth Silva Wins 2025 Tennessee Poetry Out Loud Contest
From Tennessee Arts Commission –
NASHVILLE —The 2025 Tennessee Poetry Out Loud (POL) champion is Elizabeth Silva a student at Baylor School in Chattanooga. The competition was held on Saturday, March 1, at the Mockingbird Theater in Franklin. This was Elizabeth’s first time competing in Poetry Out Loud.
“I’ve always struggled with public speaking and getting a chance to really connect with poems and present them to people and perform them. It was a wonderful experience,” said champion Elizabeth Silva, “It’s incredible. I would have never expected to be in this position right now.”
Saturday’s statewide competition featured 16 finalists from across Tennessee. Over 1,000 students and 60 teachers participated in the program this year. Elizabeth as the state champion will participate in the National Semifinals, with the top nine students advancing to the National Finals to be held May 5th -7th in Washington, D.C. Elizabeth will receive awards from the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Poetry Foundation.
“Through Tennessee’s Poetry Out Loud, students cultivate not only powerful public speaking skills but also invaluable self-assurance and a profound connection to our rich literary traditions,” said Tennessee Arts Commission Chair, Steve Bailey. “Our heartfelt congratulations to every teacher and student who invested their passion and effort in this year’s program.”
Ephraim Sorrell a junior from Webb School of Knoxville is first runner-up. Sorrell will receive an award, and his school will receive stipends for the purchase of poetry books and supplies. Joshua Cloer from Harding Academy of Memphis is the second runner-up, and Evalyn Bennett from Rockvale High School is the third runner-up. They will also receive awards. Poetry Out Loud will award a total of $50,000 to students and schools at the National Finals, including a $20,000 award for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion. All four finalists received a 2025 Poetry Out Loud TN award. This year’s solid bronze awards were the product of the Metal Museum‘s skilled artisans in Memphis.
“Research shows participating in Poetry Out Loud offers many benefits. For example, students learn to analyze, memorize, and interpret poetry, which supports them in their English Language Arts courses but also in other academic subjects like history and science where writing and analytical skills are equally important,” said Anne B. Pope, Executive Director of the TN Arts Commission. “On behalf of the Commission, we congratulate all of the students who participated in Poetry Out Loud and wish Elizabeth the best as she represents Tennessee at the National competition next month.”
The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, in partnership with the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Mockingbird Theater, presented POL 2025. The program seeks to foster the next generation of literary readers by capitalizing on the latest trends in poetry, recitation and performance, building on the resurgence of poetry as an oral art form.
