Emma Keen From Oregon School For The Deaf Named Oregon's 2026 Poetry Out Loud Champion (Photo) - 03/07/26
Salem, Oregon – Emma Keen, a high school junior at Oregon School for the Deaf in Salem, is Oregon’s 2026 Poetry Out Loud champion. Keen received the top score at Saturday's Poetry Out Loud State Contest, held at Salem's Historic Grand Theatre. She will now represent Oregon at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals, to be held April 27-29 in Washington, D.C.
Bena (Bee-nah) Rodecap, a senior who attends Grant High School in Portland, was named runner up. Rodecap would be invited to represent Oregon in the national competition should Keen be unable to attend.
Watch video of Keen's performance and the moment she was named champion by Oregon First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson, who attended the event. View and download event high-resolution photos, also featuring the First Lady and 2020-2024 Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani, who performed at the event.
Since 2005, over 4.5 million high school students across the nation have participated in Poetry Out Loud. The program in Oregon is made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Oregon Arts Commission and jurisdictional arts agencies.
During Poetry Out Loud, students recite works in a dynamic competition and performance. They select poems from an anthology, memorize them, and are judged on criteria like physical presence, voice and articulation, and dramatic appropriateness. Poetry Out Loud helps students improve public speaking skills, build confidence and grow their appreciation for poetry.
Keen, who is student body president at Oregon School for the Deaf, decided to participate in Poetry Out Loud with the encouragement of her educator, Gayle Robertson. She chose to recite “Low-Tide," by Edna St. Vincent Millay, “From One Who Stays" by Amy Lowell and “I am Like a Leaf" by Yone Noguchi.
“I am so grateful for this experience," Keen said after being named champion. “I loved having my family here to support me. It’s been really amazing.”
Oregon First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson, who attended the event, announced the winner from the 11 contestants.
“These students demonstrated the transformative power of poetry and the importance of investing in arts education,” Kotek Wilson said. “These students are creating connections, expressing themselves freely, and showing us the bright future of Oregon's arts community.”
Rodecap, the runner up, said she has a love of poetry and writing, and thanked her English educator, Paige Battle, for her “tireless dedication.”
“Poetry Out Loud provides an incredible opportunity for students to practice resilience through art,” said Carli Jones, an American Sign Language and interpreting educator who for a second year helped judge the state competition. “It was wonderful to be in community with such talented and kind artists."
The other nine students who competed Saturday, after winning their school competitions and advancing from the semifinals, are:
- Alida Shi Lyons, Cleveland High School (Portland)
- Ariana Morris, Redmond High School (Redmond)
- Drishti Singh, Lakeridge High School (Lake Oswego)
- Gabriel Hall, St. Stephen’s Academy (Beaverton)
- Josiah Gaither, St. Stephen’s Academy (Beaverton)
- Kaydence Pope, South Medford High School (Medford)
- Molly Wheeler, South Medford High School (Medford)
- Rain Obiesie, Lakeridge High School (Lake Oswego)
- Samantha Faulkner, Trinity Academy (Portland).
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The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, arts programs and funding for nonprofits and artists through its grants, special initiatives and services. Commissioners appointed by the Governor establish policies and provide advisory support for public investment in the arts. The Arts Commission is part of Business Oregon in recognition of the vital role the arts play in supporting the economies, educational opportunities and vibrancy of communities throughout the state.
The Arts Commission is supported with funds appropriated by the Oregon Legislature, as well as the National Endowment for the Arts and the Oregon Cultural Trust. Learn more at oregonartscommission.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
