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Left to Right: Tiana Jones (Georgia State Champion) with Tonya Jones (Mother) and Andrea Unsicker (Educator), as well as representatives from Georgia Council for the Arts (Tina Lilly, Executive Director; and Emily Yewell Volin, Grants and Arts Education Program Manager) and Alliance Theatre (Liz Davis, Producer; Dacey Geary & Katie Causey Wolff, Associate Producers; and Maya Lawrence, Emcee & Coach)
The Alliance Theatre & Georgia Council for the Arts Announce 2025 Poetry Out Loud State Champion Tiana Jones
The Alliance Theatre is thrilled to announce Tiana Jones, a junior from Whitefield Academy in Cobb County as the state champion in the 2025 Poetry Out Loud Georgia contest. Miles McNeese from Atlanta Classical Academy was runner-up in the state final contest, which occurred at the Alliance Theatre on Saturday, March 8, 2025. Jones will represent the state of Georgia during the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, D.C. from May 5-7, 2025.
In 2024, Jones was the 2nd place winner in the Poetry Out Loud National Finals, earning a $10,000 prize as well as a $500 stipend for her school to invest in poetry materials. “The competitors in regionals, state, and nationals – they’re very commending of one’s work,” Tiana shares of her experience (here). “They share the same passion in poetry and performing as I do, and just to see that being taken seriously – it’s a great experience.”
Presented by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. In partnership with Georgia Council for the Arts, the Alliance Theatre administers the Georgia program, reaching 3,921 students this year.
Each participating school and community organization hosted a local contest to select a school champion, who then advanced onto a Regional Contest in February. Trilith Studios in Fayetteville, GA hosted a Regional Contest; additionally, the program includes a Virtual option at the Regional level to ensure access.
“Poetry Out Loud encourages Georgia high school students to explore new perspectives and step outside of their comfort zone,” said Tina Lilly, Executive Director of Georgia Council for the Arts. “Engaging students in this program fosters creativity, critical thinking, and leadership, all skills that benefit them for life. We thank the Alliance Theatre for their leadership in administering this program and guiding students to refine their skills as part of a well-rounded education.”
As an integral part of the program, all participating students had access to a series of workshops and coaching opportunities to rehearse and refine the poems of their choice. Additionally, the workshops emphasized the Alliance Theatre’s commitment to building a Poetry Out Loud community in which students are encouraged to show up as their authentic, whole selves and celebrate the many unique gifts and truths that exist within this program.
Now in its 20th year, Poetry Out Loud started as a pilot program in Chicago and Washington, D.C., and has grown to involve millions of students from across the country. In the last decade, Georgia’s champions have been awarded more than $55,000 from national and state competitions. Five champions from Georgia have placed in the top three at national finals in that time, including a first-place win in 2017 and a second-place acknowledgement in 2024.
“The Alliance Theatre is honored to administer Poetry Out Loud for the state of Georgia,” said Chris Moses, Artistic Director at the Alliance Theatre. “We are incredibly grateful to the entire community that makes this work possible, including dedicated educators, supportive parents and caregivers, committed regional artistic partners and contest judges, and of course – the brave and inspiring students who take to the mic. As we look ahead to the National Finals, we are wholeheartedly cheering Tiana on as she prepares to represent our state.”
Learn more about Poetry Out Loud at alliancetheatre.org/poetry-out-loud or poetryoutloud.org.
2025 Georgia Judges
- Will Amato | Comedy Writer and Producer, Draft Horse Productions
- Dylan Bryant | Designer and Artist
- Tyra Douyon | Journalist and Educator
- Jayla Dyas | Spelman Leadership Fellow, Alliance Theatre
- Khalil Elayan, Ph.D. | Senior Lecturer of English, Kennesaw State University
- Shannon Geary | Adjunct Professor of English, Life University
- Kalima Harris | Director of Youth Programs, Deep Center
- Jeremiah Parker Hobbs | Teaching Artist, Alliance Theatre
- Bella Irias Aguilar | Education Accounting Assistant, Alliance Theatre
- Wynne Kelly | Teaching Artist, Alliance Theatre
- Yolanda “Y-O” Latimore | Poet and Founder, Poetic Peace Arts
- Kamryn Loy | Teaching Artist, Alliance Theatre
- Jennifer Holley Lux | Writer, Georgia Tech
- Ann Marie Meeker | Teaching Artist, Alliance Theatre
- Summer Rain Menkee | Teaching Artist, Alliance Theatre
- Tony Morris, Ph.D. | Writing Professor, Georgia Southern University
- Claire Nelson | Assistant Professor of English, Georgia Southern University
- Angel Fabián Rivera | Actor; Teaching Artist, Alliance Theatre
- Caity Slotnick | Teaching Artist, Alliance Theatre
- Paige Sullivan, M.F.A. | Writer and Communications Professional
- Megan Wartell-King | Teaching Artist, Alliance Theatre
- Chris Woolf | Writer
Production Team
- Liz Davis, Head of Secondary Curriculum & Partnerships, Alliance Theatre | Producer
- Dacey Geary | Associate Producer
- Maya Lawrence, Allyship Program Director & Resident Artist, Alliance Theatre | Emcee
- Katie Wolff, Institute Program Coordinator | Associate Producer
If you are interested in participating in Poetry Out Loud next year (2025-2026), please contact poetryoutloud@alliancetheatre.org.
