NEVADA CITY, CA (MPG) - Nevada County Arts Council has announced the winners of the 2026 Poetry Out Loud County Championships after a year of exciting local firsts, and unique challenges for the national program.

“This is the first year that students from Truckee have been able to participate in Poetry Out Loud,” said Eliza Tudor, Executive Director at Nevada County Arts Council. “Because of their presence, and the dedication of the students and their coaches, this year’s finals were full of special, tender moments.”

Aurora Derrick, of Truckee High School, won first place in the competition for their recitation of “Militants to Certain Other Women” by Katharine Rolston Fisher, and “Fruit of the Flower” by Countee Cullen. 

Clover Rashby, of Nevada Union High School, is runner up for her recitation of The “Protected Sex” by Alice Duer Miller, and “Why We Oppose Pockets for Women” by Alice Duer Miller, while Julianne Marsh, of Sierra Academy of Expeditionary Learning (SAEL), received third prize for her recitation of “Captain! My Captain!” by Walt Whitman and “Thoughts in Jail” by Katharine Rolston Fisher.

Three students also received honorary mentions for distinguished achievement: Sarah Jajeh, of SAEL, for “Life” by Edith Wharton and “Let No Charitable Hope” by Elinor Wylie; Alexis Cota, of Truckee High School, for “To Edison” by Domingo de Vivero and “Come Let us be Friends” by Sarah Lee Brown Fleming; and Rein Chaney, of Nevada Union, for “I am like a Leaf” by Yone Noguchi, and “Never Enough of Living” by Leonie Ann Adams.

Nevada County Arts Council’s four judges included Nevada County Librarian, Nick Wilczek; writer and theatre director, Sands Hall; Nevada County Poet Laureate Emerita, Kirsten Casey; and poet and editor, Julie Valin. They evaluated the finalists on a comprehensive range of criteria, including physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic appropriateness, evidence of understanding and overall performance.

“This year’s State Championships take place on March 8 and 9, and the winner of the Nevada County finals, Aurora Derrick, will represent all of us there,” said Eliza Tudor. “Whoever wins at the State level will represent California in the national Poetry Out Loud competition.”

While this year’s national Poetry Out Loud curriculum was subjected to controversial changes in 2025, and many across the country chose not to participate, Nevada County Arts Council and the students’ coaches put in a tremendous effort to maintain a core local purpose: to bring poetry to those who may never have recited a poem before, and spread the transformational experiences that make poetry so meaningful.

“It was, perhaps because of the tensions with this year’s national program, important for us, more than ever, to ensure we reached those students who wouldn’t otherwise have access to poetry coaching,” said Tudor. 

Nevada County Poet Laureate and Poetry Out Loud coach Karen Terrey added, “At the county competition, I was especially impressed with how welcoming and supportive the student poets were with each other. All the students worked hard, using imagination and persistence, to articulate their chosen poems with a high level of accuracy, physical presence, and a sensitive interpretation. Listening to these student poets perform their poems from memory, the audience can hear them come alive with a new relevance, infused with the passion of these young voices.”

Beyond the excitement of the State Finals for Poetry Out Loud, all of the Nevada County finalists have been invited to present their poems at the 10th annual Sierra Poetry Festival, taking place on Saturday, April 18. The students will have the chance to recite from the same stage that internationally-renowned poets from across California, the United States, and the world, will be sharing their award-winning work from.

For more information about Poetry Out Loud, visit capoetryoutloud.org and nevadacountyarts.org/poetry-out-loud.