Juneau student Cassie Lumba will be advancing to the national finals of Poetry Out Loud after competing in the semifinals in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.
Lumba is a senior at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé and won Alaska’s Poetry Out Loud competition in March.
Fifty-four students from U.S. states and territories recited poetry during the semifinals on Tuesday. Only nine were selected to advance to the finals – Lumba was one of them.
She performed three poems, including “Longings” by Nellie Rathbone Bright, “Poetry” by Marianne Moore and “O Me! O Life!” by Walt Whitman.
The National Finals of Poetry Out Loud takes place in D.C. at 3 p.m. Alaska time today, and will culminate with the announcement of the 2026 Poetry Out Loud National Champion. The top prize is $20,000.
Watch Lumba on a webcast Wednesday at arts.gov/initiatives/poetry-out-loud.
