Graciela Maldonado, a 16 year-old junior from Nipomo High School, won the San Luis Obispo County Poetry Out Loud Competition on February 10, 2017 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in San Luis Obispo.

poetry out loudGraciela impressed a panel of five judges with her recitations of “Hyteria” by Dionisio D. Martinez and “Try to Praise the Mutilated World” by Adam Zagajewski. For her efforts, she won a $500 scholarship and will advance to the State Competition in Sacramento, March 12 and 13, 2017.

Approximately 4,100 students at eight local high schools participated in the program.  High schools participating this year were: Atascadero, Central Coast New Tech, Mission College Preparatory, Morro Bay, Nipomo, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo Classical Academy, and San Luis Obispo. Each school then sent their champion to the County Competition. Morro Bay High School senior, Zainab Bhatti, earned runner-up honors.

The national program is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation who partner with state arts agencies. The contest encourages the nation’s youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation and helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage.

Coordinated locally each year by ARTS Obispo, in cooperation with the California Arts Council, the San Luis Obispo County Poetry Out Loud Competition features students reciting two great works of poetry from memory. Facing a panel of five judges, the students are evaluated on accuracy, confidence, delivery, and articulation. The County champion goes on to compete at the State level and, perhaps, at the national competition held April 24-26, 2017.


ARTS Obispo is the San Luis Obispo County Arts Council. Founded in 1981, ARTS Obispo, a nonprofit State-Local Partner of the California Arts Council, advances visual, literary and performing arts and celebrates culture and heritage countywide for artists and arts organizations.