Kyara Hernandez-Duarte Wins Nevada Poetry Out Loud State Finals, Advances to National Competition
Kyara Hernandez-Duarte, a student from Elko County, has been named the Nevada Poetry Out Loud state champion following her performance at the 20th Annual Poetry Out Loud State Finals on Saturday, March 15. The competition, held at the Joe Crowley Student Union at the University of Nevada, Reno, featured six students from Carson City, Clark County, Douglas County, Elko County, Lyon County and Washoe County reciting poetry selections in front of a live audience. Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation and is managed in Nevada through the Nevada Arts Council, a division of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs.
Hernandez-Duarte will now advance to the National Poetry Out Loud Finals in Washington, D.C., May 5-7, where she will compete against state champions from across the country for the title of national champion and a $20,000 prize. National Finals will be live streamed for those who wish to view who cannot attend in person.
“For 20 years, Poetry Out Loud has provided a platform for Nevada high school students to learn how poetry relates to their lives while taking part in a dynamic recitation competition that helps them master public speaking and build self-confidence,” said Tony Manfredi, executive director of the Nevada Arts Council. “This year was no exception. We congratulate and applaud our 2025 competitors and look forward to watching our state champion, Kyara Hernandez-Duarte, represent Nevada on a national stage.”
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.
A video of the Saturday competition is available on the Nevada Arts Council’s YouTube channel.
To learn more about Poetry Out Loud and the Nevada Arts Council, visit www.nvartscouncil.org/. For media inquiries, contact Rachel Gattuso, APR at rachel@gattusocoalition.com or
(775) 336-9453.
About Nevada Arts Council
The Nevada Arts Council, a division of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, was created as a state agency in 1967. With offices in Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada Arts Council programs serve as a catalyst to stimulate artistic, creative, cultural, and economic activity across the state, enliven its breadth of communities, ensure lifelong learning in the arts for all Nevadans, and to encourage public and private support for the arts. Learn more at www.nvartscouncil.org.