Whittell Warrior Alyssa Edie will be representing Douglas County at the 20^th annual Poetry Out Loud Nevada State Finals on March 15 at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Edie is one of seven students from across the state who will be competing by reciting poetry to the audience as they seek to represent the Silver State at the national Poetry Out Loud competition, to be held in Washington, D.C., in early May.

The competition is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation.

“For nearly two decades we have had the privilege of witnessing Nevada’s young voices shine, and this year feels especially meaningful,” said Nevada Arts Council Executive Director Tony Manfredi. “Creative expression and exploration is supremely important, Poetry Out Loud offers students a platform to engage with literature and build confidence. We encourage everyone to join us in celebrating these talented youth and experience the power of their performances firsthand.”

The public is encouraged to watch the free contest, beginning at 1 p.m. at the Joe Crowley Student Union theater at the University of Nevada, Reno.

The Poetry Out Loud competition is a nationwide program aimed at fostering students’ self-confidence and honing their public speaking skills through the art of poetry recitation. Participants select and perform poems from a curated anthology, exploring works that span literary history and contemporary themes. School winners advance to district competitions, with those top performers moving to the state competition and the state winner advancing to the national stage May 5-7, 2025.

The Nevada Arts Council, a division of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs that helps to stimulate artistic and economic activity across the state, has been facilitating Nevada’s participation in the program for 20 years.

This year’s other six winners are Summer McGill from Carson City, Ava Torres from Clark County, Kyara Hernandez-Duarte from Elko County, Mari Basaca Fuentes from Lyon County, Ana Manrique from Storey County and Rayann Hijazi from Washoe County.

“Poetry is important for everyone. It’s important for the mind, the heart, and most evidently, the soul,” said 2024 Nevada finalist Rayann Hijazi. “I urge anyone out in the world to listen to a bird sing, a mother speak, a feeling building in your gut. Listen, and you will hear it.”