Elayjah Earles – Mississippi’s Poetry Out Loud state champion
JANS – Elayjah Earles, a native of Greenville, MS, and a senior at Mississippi School of the Arts, is the 2026 winner of Mississippi Poetry Out Loud (POL) competition sponsored by the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC).
Atheena Bloodgood, a senior at Pascagoula High School, placed second, and Nita Hardin, a junior representing Union County Heritage Museum, placed third.
“MAC is proud to continue this program, which offers students valuable opportunities to learn, grow, and connect across the state and nation,” said David Lewis, Executive Director of MAC. “This year’s contestants were well prepared and performed exceptionally. Elayjah stood out, and we are pleased to recognize her as this year’s Mississippi Poetry Out Loud State Champion.”
Nine high school students from schools/organizations across the state participated in the Mississippi Poetry Out Loud state finals held at Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) in Jackson, MS, on March 4, 2026.
“I was captivated by the way poetry could evoke emotion in people,” said Earles when asked about why she wanted to participate in Poetry Out Loud. “When I perform my poems, I always aim to try and do that.”
Earles received $200, and the Mississippi School of the Arts received a $500 stipend to purchase poetry materials. As the first runner-up, Athena Bloodgood received $100, with $200 for Pascagoula High School.
Earles will advance to the national finals, scheduled to take place in Washington, DC, April 27-29, 2026, to compete for the National Champion title and the $20,000 grand prize.
“I’ve never been to D.C. I have so many relatives from D.C. I’m really excited for the trip,” said Earles.
Earles recited Let the Light Enter by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, in the first round, Aunt Sue’s Stories by Langston Hughes in the second round, and her winning recitation was Let No Charitable Hope by Elinor Wylie.
“My poem was Let the Light Enter by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper. I picked it because I was interested in this idea of Goethe, which was the person Frances Ellen Watkins was referring to. I was really interested in the idea of him asking for light on his deathbed. That really spoke to me because I always feared death, so his asking for something that isn’t going to swoop up and save you. It is a hmmm, what does he mean, what does he want out of life? That’s how it spoke to me,” said Earles.
Poetry Out Loud is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with state and jurisdictional arts agencies. The program is designed to help students improve public speaking skills, build confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. In recognition of America’s 250th Celebration, this year’s recitations were selected by the students from an anthology aimed at celebrating American history and culture.
The Mississippi Poetry Out Loud state finals were hosted by Lewis and emceed by Dr. Robert Luckett, Director of the Margaret Walker Center and the Council of Federated Organizations Center at Jackson State University. The guest musicians this year were singer-songwriter Richelle Putnam and multi-instrumentalist Joey Ethridge. MPB Television will broadcast the contest on Sunday, April 26, at 5 p.m. (CST).
To register for the 2027 Mississippi Poetry Out Loud Contest, visit arts.ms.gov/pol. Registration is open to schools and community organizations working with students in grades nine through twelve.
