Rock Hill Poet Laureate

Love performing? Want a chance to win $20,000? Are you in 8th-12th grade?

Step into the spotlight with Poetry Out Loud, a national competition that celebrates the art of spoken poetry, performance, and creativity. Sign up for the individual track of Poetry Out Loud for an opportunity to win $20,000.

🏆 BIG REWARDS AWAIT! 🏆

💰 Win Cash Prizes at the School, Regional, and State Levels!

🏅 Gain Recognition Across South Carolina and Beyond!

🎭 Build Confidence, Public Speaking Skills, and Stage Presence!

🗣️ Express Yourself — Your Voice Matters!

📅 Important Dates:

🖊️ Individual Registration Deadline for SC Poetry Out Loud:

Friday, December 12, 2025, at 11:59 PM ET:

Calling all teachers, administrators, & media center specialists for Rock Hill Poetry Out Loud school-based competition!

Your school is invited to participate in Poetry Out Loud, a national poetry recitation competition that helps students build confidence, develop public speaking skills, and discover the joy of literature.

Who can participate: Students in 8th grade through 12th grade

What’s involved: Schools host their own competition—classroom, grade-level, or school-wide—and advance one student to the city, regional, and state contests.

Why participate: It’s free, inspiring, and easy to run! Poetry Out Loud provides all the materials you need, including lesson plans, judging rubrics, and a curated anthology.

👉 Register your school today to receive the official materials and resources to get started by clicking here!

For registration and more details, click here or email RHPL Carlo L'Chelle Dawson at carlolchelledawson@gmail.com or visit Carlo's Rock Hill Poetry Out Loud webpage.

Check out our Poet Laureate Carlo L'Chelle Dawson featured in a special interview by PBS Charlotte.

We are so proud of you Carlo!

Rock Hill Poet Laureate Rock Hill Youth Poet Laureate

Purpose

The City of Rock Hill Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate use their roles to create awareness and appreciation for poetry through community outreach, civic engagement, commemoration of the city, and the promotion of literacy across the greater Rock Hill area.

“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.”

- Robert Frost

History

The City of Rock Hill Poet Laureate program is an initiative launched in 2018 by Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys. The program is managed by the Poet Laureate Committee, made up of representatives from local arts, nonprofit, education, and community organizations.