Jackson, MS – The Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) is pleased to announce that Saabria Prater, a Senior at Pascagoula High School, is the 2025 Mississippi Poetry Out Loud® (POL) champion. Nita Hardin, a Sophomore at New Albany High School, is the first runner-up, and Sophie Mattingly, a Freshman at Rosa Scott High School, is the second runner-up.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Poetry Out Loud is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the Poetry Foundation, in partnership with state and jurisdictional arts agencies. Since 2005, the program has served more than 4.4 million students and 81,000 teachers from 20,000 schools across the country, creating community and connection through poetry.

Nine high school students from high schools/organizations across the state participated in the Mississippi Poetry Out Loud state finals, which took place at Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) in Jackson, MS, on March 6, 2025. MPB Television will broadcast the competition on Friday, April 25, at 8 p.m. (CST) and Sunday, April 27, at 6 p.m. (CST).

“Mississippi has a history of high-performing finalists at a national level,” said David Lewis, Executive Director of MAC. “This year, we took the time to honor some past winners who have gone on to continue to represent Mississippi so well in their lives and careers. We are proud to continue this program, which gives students with remarkable talents an opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with others across our state and nation.”

Prater received $200, and Pascagoula High School received a $500 stipend to purchase poetry materials. As the first runner-up, Nita Hardin received $100, with $200 for Union County Heritage Museum, which sponsored Hardin’s local contest.

Prater will advance to the national finals, which are planned to take place in Washington, DC, May 5 – 7, 2025, to compete for the National Champion title and $20,000 grand prize.

Prater recited This is “Not a Small Voice” by Sonia Sanchez, in the first round, “Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear” by Mosab Abu Toha in the second round, and her winning recitation was “Nothing to Do” by James Ephraim McGrit.

“It’s not really about just saying the poem,” said Prater. “It’s about letting the poet speak through you. It’s just get emotional, like don’t lose yourself in it, but tell the story that’s being told.”

The Mississippi Poetry Out Loud state finals were hosted by Lewis and emceed by Mississippi Artist Roster member and spoken-word poet Steven Issac Randle. 5th Child was the musician for the competition. 

The guest judges included:

• Stacey Howell, theatre educator and former MSPOL Regional Mentor
• Morgan Love, Behavior Technician and two-time Mississippi State Poetry Out Loud Champion
• Danielle Littlefield, MFA, Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Jackson State University
• C. Liegh McInnis, poet, short story writer, and author
• Diane Williams, author, performing artist, storyteller, teaching artist, speaker, consultant, and mixed-media fiber artist

Poetry Out Loud is designed to improve public speaking skills, build confidence, and teach about literary history and contemporary life. Student competitors recite works they memorized from an anthology of more than 1,200 classic and contemporary poems; the NEA and the Poetry Foundation provide free, standards-based curriculum materials—all available online—which teachers may choose to use in their classrooms.

To register for the 2026 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.

About the National Endowment for the Arts Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. To learn more, visit arts.gov or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn and YouTube.

About the Poetry Foundation The Poetry Foundation recognizes the power of words to transform lives. The Foundation works to amplify poetry and celebrate poets by fostering spaces for all to create, experience, and share poetry. Follow the Poetry Foundation and Poetry magazine on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.