Nv Poetry Out Loud 2025

Inspiring High School Students Through the Spoken Word

Celebrating 20 Years of Nevada Poetry Out Loud

The 20th annual Nevada Poetry Out Loud state competition convened in person on Saturday, March 15, 2025, on the University of Nevada, Reno campus at the Joe Crowley Student Union theater. Participants from seven counties competed to represent Nevada at the National Finals in Washington, D.C.

Congrats to the 2025 Nevada Finals Winner!

Elko County

Kyara Hernandez-Duarte

Throughout her time in high school, Kyara Hernandez-Duarte has been involved in FBLA: Future Business Leaders of America, National Honor Society, Key Club, theater, Advocacy Club, and Speech and Debate. Through speech and debate, she found her love for public speaking and decided to carry that over to Poetry Out Loud where she has discovered her passion for poetry. Kyara is excited to be back competing at the state level and would like to thank her teachers, Mrs. Voth, Ms. Moon, Mr. Wallek, her parents Francisco Hernandez and Alba Duarte for their support and guidance throughout this experience.

Kyara competed in the National Finals on May 6–7, 2025.

A woman with long dark hair and bangs smiles while standing in front of a brick wall. She is wearing a beige cropped jacket, a black top, plaid pants, and gold jewelry, with one hand resting on her hip.

Watch national finals replay

Meet the finalists

A young woman with straight, long hair looks at the camera with a neutral expression. She is wearing a dark top and jacket. The background appears to be indoors with a wall, signs, and a door visible. The image is in black and white.

Carson city

Summer McGill

Summer McGill is the vice captain of her speech and debate team and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach/competitor. She has been accepted into the University of Nevada, Reno as a triple major under political science, education, and journalism. With those, Summer is excited to experience a career in politics as a congresswoman on Capitol Hill, changing the world with policies and legislation, and inspiring other young girls just like her. She has always enjoyed the arts with her time in theater as a performer and house manager.

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Clark county

Ava Torres

Ava Torres loves trying new things and taking advantage of all the opportunities the world has given her. She is in her school’s Speech and Debate Club, Technology Student Association, and is an editor for her school’s newspaper, the Southwest Shadow. Ava believes the transfer of ideas and concepts defines the human existence-understanding others and learning to understand ourselves. She would love to pursue a career in the engineering field but believes having a good art and tech balance is important. She also loves to read and write. Ava would like to thank her mom, Caroline Torres, her dad, Marc Torres, her grandma, Lourdes Torres, her sister, Aleyna Torres, her speech and debate adviser, Henry Evans, and the school organization, SWCTA Speech and Debate Club and Board.

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Douglas county

Alyssa Edie

Alyssa Jane Edie was born in Oceanside, California, near San Diego, but she soon moved to Lake Tahoe, where her grandparents lived. She has three siblings, two older brothers, Chase and Layne, and one younger sister, Julia. Her mom is a stay-at-home mom, while her dad is a geologist. The Edie family has two cats – a black cat named Dexter and Bodhi, named after a character from the movie Point Break. She has been a dancer almost all her life. Alyssa started dancing at Forever Dance at three years old and has danced competitively since nine. She has tried other sports including soccer, boxing, and cheerleading, but none have given her the same rush that dance does. She dances around 19 hours a week, and She wouldn’t trade it for the world. Alyssa would like to thank her drama teacher, Miss Johnson; her English teacher, Miss Parks; and her mom, Brooke Edie.

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Lyon county

Mari Basaca Fuentes

Mari Basaca Fuentes is a 14-year-old Mexican American, and she likes to stay busy, whether it is sports, academically, or out in the community. Her main goal is to make sure that everyone in the world has a voice. No matter the age or ethnicity. Reciting poems gives this opportunity to everyone. So as she recites these poems, she hopes that other kids also realize that reciting poems give you the opportunity to speak your mind and your heart. She would like to thank her English teacher, Amanda Aldridge, her mom, Consuelo Fuentes, her dad, Francisco Basaca, and her sister, Mariana Basaca.

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Storey county

Ana Manrique

Ana Manrique is a senior at Virginia City High School. She has an older sister, 20, and two older brothers, aged 25 and 28. Born and raised in Reno, Nevada, Ana moved to Storey County in fifth grade. She enjoys spending time with her family, as well as participating in archery, track and field, cheer, and singing. After high school, Ana is considering joining the Air Force active duty to help pay for college. She plans to attend either the University of Nevada, Reno or CCU to pursue a degree in psychology, followed by a master’s and bachelor’s in social work and psychology, with the goal of becoming a cognitive behavioral therapist. She would like to thank her English teacher and track coach Lindsey Wells, her mom Anna Manrique, her dad Jose Manrique, and her sister Maya Manrique.

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Washoe county

Rayann Hijazi

Ryann Hijazi has been participating in Poetry Out Loud for all four years of high school and has grown fond of the art form. If you had told her four years ago, she would be reciting poetry in front of hundreds of people, she would have been terrified. But now, Rayann sees it as an exciting opportunity to meet people and create change. Whatever the outcome is, she is extremely excited to represent her high school and herself in this year’s Poetry Out Loud and cannot wait for the next chapter in her life. Rayann hopes it involves lots of poetry. She would like to thank her mom, Abeer Hijazi, her dad, Ramzi Hijazi, her teacher/coach, Mr. Lydon, and her friends; Sahara and Jessie.

District finals

Carson City

Feb. 6 at Pioneer High at 6 p.m.

Carson City Winners

Summer McGill (1st place)
Thomas Lance (2nd place)
Lilly Barker (3rd place)

Clark

Jan. 30, 2025 at West Charleston Library, Las Vegas

Clark Winners

Ava Torres (1st place)
Thalia Ollarvia (2nd place)
Sydney Warnick (3rd place)

Elko

Feb. 10 Elko High School Performing Arts Center, Elko, Nevada

Elko Winners

Kyara Hernandez-Duarte (1st place)
Natasha Tervort (2nd place)
Kamille Bonafide (3rd place)

Douglas

Feb. 5 at 4:30 p.m. at Whittell High School, Zephyr Cove, Nevada

Douglas Winners

Alyssa Edie (1st place)
Asha Ryan (2nd place)
Stellan Hamner-Jillson (3rd place)

Lyon

Feb. 5 at 3:30 p.m. at the Jeanne Dini Cultural Center in Yerington, Nevada

Lyon Winners

Mari Basaca Fuentes (1st place)
Ella Kilgore (2nd place)
Daniel Mercado (3rd place)

Storey

Feb. 27 at 1:30 p.m. at Virginia City High School, Virginia City, Nevada

Ana Manrique(1st place)
Henry Ernst (2nd place)
Dalton Farrell (3rd place)

Washoe

Feb. 12 at 5:30 p.m. at Holland Project, Reno, Nevada

Washoe Winners

Rayann Hijazi (1st place)
Brynn Davenport (2nd place)
Alice Towell (3rd place)

Focusing on our rich literary heritage and contemporary life through memorization and performance of classic and contemporary poetry, Nevada Poetry Out Loud is a program of the Nevada Arts Council, presented in partnership with National Endowment for the Arts, The Poetry Foundation, Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Nevada Department of Education, and Nevada school districts.