In 2023 Alaska Regional (AK POL) Competitions will be video-adjudicated, across the state, with the goal to hold an in-person competition for State Finals in Juneau. In-person gathering for the State AK POL competition will be dependent on the conditions for the State of Alaska and the COVID-19 pandemic. The AK POL planning committee will make a determination about the State POL Competition before winter break.

Poetry Out Loud (POL) competitions may be held virtually or in person at any level of competition, including classroom and school competitions. In order to be eligible to compete at the state level of competition, a student must compete at a prior level of competition; the AK POL competition requires that a student competes in the Regional video adjudication in order to be eligible for the State competition. For organizers who elect to hold an in-person contest, at the local level, please follow any federal, state, and local guidelines in regard to slowing the spread of COVID-19. This may include wearing masks, enforcing social distancing measures, hand sanitizing, and ensuring participants and guardians are not displaying symptoms of COVID-19 prior to attending, and while participating in, a POL event.

Each participant at the regional level of competition will be required to submit videos for two poem recitations; each participant at the state level of competition will be required to prepare three poem recitations.

At the school level, each school including grades 9-12 coordinates its own competition. School winners participate in a region-wide competition, with regions to be determined by the AK POL planning committee following the registration period. Participating, registered Schools may identify between 1-4 students to send forward to the region-wide competition: the deadline for submitting videos to the regional level of competition is February 1, 2023.

For the 2022-2023 school cycle, the Alaska Poetry Out Loud program will also accept at-large registrations by individual students, to compete directly in the Regional level of competition providing the following guidelines are met:

1) An at-large, individual student participants must identify an AK POL School teacher/liaison/coach, who has agreed to be a point of contact with the AK POL planning committee, and
2) If the student’s school is registered for AK POL, the student must participate in the school competition. If more than four at-large, individual student participants register from any school entity, the school must determine the four students who will proceed forward to the Regional level of competition, from their school.

Should more than four individual students register from a single school, where the school is not registered, the AK POL planning committee will consult and coordinate with that school in mounting a school competition. Guidance for organizing a competition at the classroom and school competition is available at: https://www.poetryoutloud.org/teachers-organizers/organize-a-contest/. Please note: in the case where a school does not have enough students to hold a classroom or school competition, AK POL’s Regional level of competition will meet the program guidelines for eligibility.

Additional information including, the official Poetry Out Loud poem anthology, information about organizing a classroom or school competition, and teaching resources for Poetry Out Loud at: www.poetryoutloud.org.