When Roswell High School senior Rory Berg stepped onto the stage at Georgia’s Poetry Out Loud state finals, she wasn’t just reciting poetry she was bringing words to life. Her performance earned the title of 2026 Georgia state champion and the opportunity to represent the state at the national finals in Washington, D.C., April 27–29.
The competition took place March 6 on the new Goizueta Stage for Youth and Families at the Woodruff Arts Center, marking one of the closest contests in the program’s four-year history at the Alliance Theatre. Sophia Meszaros of Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School was named runner-up, while Caroline Champney of Chattahoochee High School tied for runner-up and placed third.
For Berg, the experience reflects the deeper purpose of the program.
“I am honored to represent Georgia in this competition and have to thank my friends, family and peers for all their encouragement,” said. she “Poetry Out Loud gives each competitor a turn at the mic to speak from their own experience and the audience a chance to connect with those experiences in a way that is otherwise impossible.”
Presented nationally by the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Out Loud lifts poetry off the page and onto the stage. Since its launch in 2005, the program has engaged more than 4.5 million high school students nationwide, helping participants build confidence, strengthen public speaking skills, and deepen appreciation for poetry.
In Georgia, the program is administered by the Alliance Theatre in partnership with the Georgia Council for the Arts. During the 2025–2026 season, the initiative reached 28 schools and community organizations across the state, engaging more than 1,600 students and nearly 140 educators.
Students participating in Poetry Out Loud also have access to workshops and coaching sessions designed to help them rehearse, refine their performances, and develop their own interpretation of selected poems.
As Rory prepares to represent Georgia on the national stage, she joins a strong legacy of student performers. In the past eight years, Georgia champions have earned more than $45,000 in awards, with several placing among the nation’s top finalists.
Now, one Roswell senior will carry that tradition forward proving that the power of poetry is not only in the words on the page, but in the voice that brings them to life.