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Wake County student wins state poetry recitation competition

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Caliyah McCall (left), a junior at Knightdale High School in Wake County, is the 2026 North Carolina Poetry Out Loud champion. Giada Martucci (right) is first runner-up. Courtesy of Children's Theatre of Charlotte

Caliyah McCall, a junior at Knightdale High School in Wake County, has been announced as the winner of the 2026 North Carolina Poetry Out Loud competition, according to a press release.

Over 30 students from 15 high schools and organizations statewide participated in the competition’s regional and state finals on Feb. 28 at the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, the release said, emceed by the city’s poet laureate, Jay Ward. Finalists recited works from an anthology commemorating American poets to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary. 

“Poetry Out Loud inspires me to keep pushing on and keep going,” McCall said in the release.

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Caliyah McCall, a junior at Knightdale High School in Wake County, is the 2026 North Carolina Poetry Out Loud champion. Courtesy of Children’s Theatre of Charlotte

McCall won the state competition with the recitation of “Militants to Certain Other Women” by Katharine Rolston Fisher, “Memorial Wreath” by Dudley Randall, and “Battle Hymn of the Republic” by Julia Ward Howe. 

She will receive $200, the release said, and her school will receive a $500 stipend to buy poetry materials. 

“Two years ago, Caliyah was first runner-up,” said Matthew Raines, McCall’s teacher at Knightdale High School. “Last year, we couldn’t come back, and she was downhearted. She asked what can we do to make sure we get there again. Her dedication and talent are second to none. She latched on to every direction like a sponge, made it hers, and made it beautiful.”

The announcement comes during Arts in Our Schools Month, during which the Department of Public Instruction, state organizations, and school districts statewide highlight the importance of arts education.

In his proclamation of the month, Gov. Josh Stein said, “all students participating in arts education courses benefit from the skills and processes developed through the arts and apply those skills in a variety of disciplines and settings no matter their intended career path.”

During ‘Arts in Our Schools Month,’ how one NC district is prioritizing arts education

The competition begins “in the classroom or at the local level with an area organization,” according to the press release. Winners move on to the regional and state finals, and then go on to the national finals. 

Since 2005, more than 4.5 million students nationwide have participated in the poetry recitation competition, which is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts administered by Mid Atlantic Arts. The competition aims to improve high school students’ public speaking skills, confidence, and connections to literature, the press release said. 

Giada Martucci, a senior at Eugene Ashley High School in New Hanover County, was runner-up of the competition, the release said. As first runner-up, Martucci will receive $100 and her school will receive $200. The press release also named all state finalists in the competition:

As the statewide winner, McCall will participate in the national semifinals in Washington, D.C., on April 28. If she moves on, she will get the opportunity to compete for the national title and $20,000.

“Poetry Out Loud lifts poetry off the page, creating community and connection,” the press release said. “North Carolina Poetry Out Loud proudly celebrates the outstanding high school students who showcased their passion for poetry and performance in this year’s statewide recitation.”